Who Is The APC Mole In PDP?

On Sunday, Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers state raised the alarm that some presidential aspirants under the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) were being sponsored by the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) to disorganize the party.

The allegations may come to many as a surprise, as no fewer than 14 members of the opposition PDP have indicated their intention to seek the presidential ticket of the party.

Speaking in an interview with the Premium Times, the Rivers Governor claimed that some PDP presidential aspirants were allegedly planted the same way ex-national chairman of the party Ali Modu Sheriff was planted to destabilize the party.

“We know those PDP presidential aspirants who are agents of APC. We know them. The presidency and the APC have planted people within our party, and we know it.

“They planted Modu Sheriff and we fell for it. I bought into it not knowing it was a set-up. And then when we realised, we said no, we have to fight it. And we fought it.

“I cannot again fall the fool that I became under Ali Modu Sheriff. I know some of our presidential aspirants who are running on the sponsorship of the APC and the presidency,” the Rivers state governor said in the interview.

Reacting to the allegations made by Governor Wike, APC challenged him “to be brave enough and name the APC-sponsored aspirants among the crowd that have signified interest to run for the presidency under the PDP.”

“We urge the PDP to quickly wake up to the reality that the 2019 presidential elections have been won and lost.

“The PDP is a dead party and we urge its members who share our progressive ideals to leave the sinking and rudderless ship and come over to the APC which is rebuilding and repositioning the country in all facets,” APC said through its Acting Spokesman, Yekini Nabena.

The allegation by Wike may now make leaders of the party suspicious of some of the party’s aspirants, and put the searchlight on them. THE WHISTLER takes a look at the presidential aspirants of the PDP and their history with the ruling party.

The PDP presidential aspirants include: Atiku Abubakar, former Vice President; the Senate President, Bukola Saraki; his predecessor, David Mark; Governor of Sokoto State, Aminu Tambuwal; Governor of Gombe State, Ibrahim Dankwambo; a former governor of Kano State and currently a senator, Rabi’u Kwankwaso; a former governor of Jigawa State, Sule Lamido; and a former governor of Kaduna State and immediate past Chairman of the PDP, Ahmed Makarfi.

Others are a former governor of Sokoto State, Attahiru Bafarawa; a former governor of Plateau State, David Jang; a former Minister of Special Duties, Tanimu Turaki; and a former Kaduna North senator, Datti Baba-Ahmed.

Among the Presidential contenders for the PDP party ticket, there are some that have strong ties with the leadership of the ruling APC, those are Aminu Tambuwal, Ahmed Makarfi, Ibrahim Dankwambo, Datti Baba-Ahmed and Attahiru Bafarawa.

In the case of Governor of Sokoto state, Aminu Tambuwal, his political godfather is Senator Aliyu Magatakarda Wamakko, who was his predecessor in office. Wammako is still a die-hard Buhari supporter and APC member.

The former Speaker of the House of Representatives may still be seen as having his roots in the ruling party.

Many still believe Ahmed Makarfi though a strong PDP member, has close associates in the ruling party and may work against the party if denied the presidential ticket.

Dankwambo’s aspiration is seen by many in the party as unrealistic considering he is not a political heavy weight in the North. He is believed to also have ties with the APC, especially considering how he was able to win re-election in 2015 on the platform of the PDP.

Ibrahim Dankwambo’s younger brother, Buhari Dankwambo and about 2000 supporters had over the weekend defected to the All Progressives Congress in the State.

This development, many suggest, may have the blessing of his big brother, whom some claim may soon join the APC. One or more of these aspirants may be the mole Wike is talking about.

But there is also a school of thought in the PDP that Wike may be playing politics and trying to narrow the field of aspirants to favour his candidate. “By casting doubts in the minds of party leaders about some of the aspirants,” says a stalwart of the party. “Governor Wike may be clearing the way for the emergence of a consensus candidate of his choice.”