PDP Primary: Tambuwal Camp Explains Drama Before Atiku’s Victory

The emergence of former Vice President Atiku Abubakar as the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, was due to last minutes deal brokered by the PDP Chairman, Iyorchia Ayu and two of his kinsmen, THE WHISTLER can report.

Joining Ayu were David Mark, who was former Senate President and the Governor of Benue State, Samuel Ortom.

All three were joined by Atiku at the VIP Wing of the velodrome, venue of the primary to ensure Atiku’s victory.

According to a reliable source who said he walked into the meeting with Sokoto State Governor, Aminu Tambuwal, when he was summoned from another room where he was seated, the meeting did not last long and not much was said.

He said when it was clear that the national convention was going ahead after marathon meeting, the trio decided to take the last step despite the failure of earlier moves to secure a Northern consensus.

Atiku was not the choice of northern elders, who weeks before the Saturday’s convention, endorsed both former Senate President, Bukola Saraki and Bauchi State Governor, Bala Mohammed.

Tambuwal had rejected the outcome while Atiku said he was not part of the process.

Southern agitations led by regional ethnic groups had made it very clear that it was the turn of the South after Buhari would have finished his 8 years in 2023.

But the PDP did not zone to the South, prompting 17 aspirants across all the geopolitical zones to vie for the ticket. The aspirants were later reduced to 13.

But of greatest threat to having a Northern candidate on the ballot of the PDP was Rivers State governor, Nyesom Wike, who had made it clear that it was the turn of the south

According to the source, several moves made less than 48 hours to secure northern consensus failed.

A careful analysis of the states under the control of Wike especially as Kano delegates were all believed to be going for the Rivers State governor less than 48 hours to the convention, and it became clear that it was Wike’s to lose.

“Wike had built up unassailable momentum till the last minutes,” said the source, who is a senior member of the Tambuwal Campaign Organisation.

“He was the man to beat especially as there was no northern consensus.

“If anyone tells you thousands of dollars were shared to the delegates, it was pure lie. What happened was that the few number of delegates made it easy for state governors and state party chairmen to control them.”

He explained that governors and state party chairmen came to Abuja and kept delegates out of reach of other aspirants.

THE WHISTLER had reported how former Senate President, Anyim Pius Anyim wrote the party complaining of how delegates list was hijacked.

The source explained that Saraki was approached to step down on the day of the convention at the venue but he refused.

“Bala Mohammed also refused. But we gathered that Wike had taken Ebonyi, his state (Rivers), Bayelsa, Edo, Kano, Kaduna, Benue, Plateau, Cross River, Oyo, Ekiti, and the South West fell under him.

“We know this because no one could reach the delegates. We did not know where they were because he had struck up this support among top party stakeholders.

“In fact, the news filtered in that the only aspirant from the South West had gathered delegates for Wike, it completely changed the feelings and dynamics of the game,” he explained.

He added that at that point it was dawn on the Northern group that something must give. We were preparing for voting when we were summoned to a room at the VIP section for a meeting.

“Atiku practically went dumb. He didn’t say anything. He was looking but in agony. Nothing much was said by everyone. No money was spent. No promise was made. What was discussed in that meeting was that the PDP must be protected,” he said.

It was gathered that the aspirant with the likely second votes from the North was called, who was Tambuwal. The senior aide and member of the campaign team said he stood by at the entrance of the VIP Wing listening to the four men, which included Atiku telling him that the fate of the PDP was in his hand. He should save it.

“There was no pressure from anywhere or promises. If you looked at the video after the primary, all aspirants including Wike were laughing and staying in one place.

“His Excellency Aminu Waziri Tambuwal did not say anything just like Atiku did not speak. I saw Atiku even looking down. As he (Tambuwal) was walking out, everyone felt he was angry. He went straight and we followed him. He collected the microphone and declared his support for Atiku.

“If you were there, you could see that that was the game changer. There was nothing much order than that. All those talks of high spending, heavy money and vote buying were false. Nothing like that,” he said.

This medium had reported that Delta delegates were the only ones from the South to vote against Wike, and Akwa Ibom where another aspirant, Udom Emmanuel, the state governor, comes from.