A chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Osita Okechukwu, says Iyorchia Ayu, the national chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party is wilfully coronating the party’s presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, as Nigeria’s 2023 version of Raila Odinga of the Republic of Kenya.

In a statement on Sunday, Mr Okechukwu said Mr Ayu had succeeded in this by retaining the imbalance between the north and south in the PDP and arrogantly refusing to step down from his party’s high horse chairmanship.

“You will note that after all, both Atiku and Raila share a lot in common – former vice presidents and serial presidential candidates,” he said. “Indeed, Ayu, by his nepotism, has given us an impetus to, from henceforth, with no harm meant, address Nigeria’s former vice-president as His Excellency Atiku Odinga.”

The APC chieftain narrated how Nigerians waited that the 79th PDP National Executive Council (NEC) will take a profound decision aimed at redressing the north-south imbalance by placating the betrayed members of its southern bloc with the chairmanship.

“But, having superimposed nepotism and arrogantly breached the PDP constitution; Ayu and Atiku rather propelled the tokenism of swapping the ceremonial BOT chairmanship, which was akin to telling a child at a village ceremony that since plates to serve rice have finished, he should open his palms to collect his portion,” Mr Okechukwu stated.

Mr Okechukwu claimed that PDP had finally convinced Nigerians that they were neither prepared nor interested in building a harmonious, united and progressive country.

“Atiku and Ayu have regrettably painted PDP in an opaque colour of the party to share the money, stomach infrastructure, and rent-seekers; by placing their personal interests above national unity. I dare say that by this unholy divisive alliance, PDP has manipulated itself out of contention for the 2023 general elections, hence the Odinga insignia,” he said. 

He also stated that the 2023 elections would mirror many aspects of the recent presidential poll in Kenya, among which are electronic transmission of results and expected outcome.

(NAN)