Two leaders of the South and Middle belt Leadership Forum, (SMBLF),  Ijaw National Leader and Chairman of the Pan Niger Delta Forum (PANDEF), Chief Edwin Clark and leader of Afenifere, the apex Yoruba socio-political group have dismissed the Atiku Abubakar and Bola Ahmed Tinubu, presidential candidates of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the governing All Progressives Congress (APC) in the 2023 general election,  respectively, saying both lacked integrity and other qualities required to move the country forward in unity and prosperity.

Clark, who spoke when he hosted members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Delta Central Leaders of Thought, who came on a solidarity visit in his Asokoro residence in Abuja,  revealed the betrayal and tribal politics of former PDP northern governors and that of the party national chairman, Adamu Muazu in the thick of the 2015 electioneering that cost former President Goodluck Jonathan his reelection.

He also recalled that Atiku antagonized Jonathan’s Presidency all through, from 2010 to 2015.

Clark: “Now coming home politically, Jonathan was the President for some time as the result of the death of President Yar’Adua. Jonathan ruled for about five years. He is a Christian and the northerners said it was their turn.

“From 2011, they worried Jonathan. Even in 2015, the northern PDP leaders ganged up with APC, Tinubu and removed Jonathan from office. They did not campaign, Jonathan was on his own.

“So, when people say why is Jonathan not in the PDP,  why is he not attending PDP meetings, I can safely say that he is learning his lesson that people he trusted did not trust him. They squandered the party’s money and left.

“So, when people say why is Jonathan not in PDP, he knows how they betrayed him, how the northern PDP governors contributed money towards Buhari’s success; how members of his government betrayed him.

“The national Chairman of PDP at the time was former governor Adamu Mu’azu. He did not go to his hometown to campaign for Jonathan, he was only following Jonathan about; he knew what he was doing. Everyone of them wanted Buhari to win. So, Buhari won. He has ruled for eight years.

Clark further stated that the presidential candidate of the All Peoples Democratic Party, (PDP) Atiku Abubakar maligned the administration of former President Goodluck Jonathan all the way from 2010.

He explained that Atiku had insisted that it was the turn of the North to produce the President at the time and turned against the Jonathan Presidency.

The elder statesman wondered why the same Atiku would now sing a refrain of integrity and competence in 2022.

“Now, Atiku has been kicking against the presidency of Jonathan since 2010. He said it was their turn but today, the same Atiku and his people now said integrity.

Clark also said that Jonathan had kept away from the PDP because of the betrayal he suffered from the leadership of the party in 2015.

He said that the then National Chairman of the PDP Adamu Muazu and the northern governors worked against Jonathan because they believed it was the turn of the North to produce the President.

He said that Jonathan learned his lessons from the bitter pills of betrayal.

He expressed shock that Northern PDP Governors raised funds in 2015 for the APC candidate Muhammadu Buhari to subvert their own candidate, Jonathan are now talking about competence and that the same people are now talking of integrity.

He accused the PDP of manipulating the emergence of Atiku Abubakar to win the presidential primary of the party.

Clark who said he had withdrawn his support for the APC because of the Muslim/Muslim ticket of the party asked his guests to inform President Buhari on the need for equality between the majority and the minority in the society.

“Now, the same northerners are now saying competence, no zoning, integrity. It fell for the prey. They manoeuvered the PDP with Alhaji Abubakar who has been wanting to be president of Nigeria over the years, championing the cause of division. So, the PDP, a party we love, PDP a party of Southern Nigeria disappointed us.

“In 2019, 11 million people voted for Atiku Abubakar and PDP. Five million from the north, five million from the south. But now he doesn’t think that we ever did anything for him.

“Nigeria has changed. If anyone tells you that all is well in Nigeria that person living in a fool’s paradise.

“I’m happy to note that you are members of the ruling party, that is APC and I will give you a message to Mr. President, who is the leader of your party. But we are in the minority but in every society the minority and the majority must live together. We have never seen a community where you have only the majority if that’s the case among them some will become minority.

“We are the largest ethnic nationality in Delta State but within you some people are dominating. Because we are alive, we don’t need this society where people are not equal. That’s what Mandela fought for that everybody is equal. People should live in a country where you grow up to do anything God created you do.”

Clark recalled that the 17 Southern governors converged in Asaba to take the decision that the Presidency be zoned to the South, and that no Southerner should agree to be running mate to a Nothern candidate, Delta State Governor, but that Okowa, who hosted the meeting betrayed the accord.

“Several times we met here and before the PDP had their primary, we met here again and repeated the same thing.

“We didn’t know that our own governor, who initiated this meeting, if you agreed for a meeting to be held in your house and you backed out thereafter, you have betrayed your colleagues. Isn’t it?

“So, that’s why, one of my cousins called Okowa a miscreant.

“So I’m therefore very happy that you are here to give us not me alone your support and they will hear it.

“We have seen that up till today we still believe in the Southern presidency. So that is why some of us had said that APC that we never wanted to talk about is the one that has listened to us by zoning presidency to the south.

“Of course, I’m an old man now, I will be 95, I no longer belong to political party. Perhaps if I were to vote, and you put only two parties, that is APC and PDP, I will vote for APC for zoning the presidency to the south, listening to our opinion.

“Atiku thinks that he is very important that people like us when we speak, he will not listen. A good leader must be one that will listen to us. So, if he becomes president what will he do?”

“The only thing that your party has done that has made me to withdraw my support is this Muslim-Muslim ticket. I won’t talk about it, because I have written a statement,” he said.

Afenifere Leader, Ayo Adebanjo, Denounces Atiku, Tinubu,  Supports Peter  Obi

The leader of Afenifere, a pan Yoruba socio-political organization, Pa Ayo Adebanjo, on Tuesday, endorsed the presidential candidate of Labour Party (LP) Mr Peter Obi, in the 2023 election.

The Afenifere leader while speaking on Yoruba Gbode, an online radio programme, said that Obi will not disappoint Nigerians.

According to him, Obi has the ability to “rule independently” and would not disappoint Nigerians.

Adebanjo stated that he had no confidence in the All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential flag bearer, Bola Tinubu and his Peoples Democratic Party, (PDP,) counterpart Atiku Abubakar.

“It is only Peter Obi that can rule independently without the influence of these criminals in government. Tinubu will only give continuity to Buhari’s incompetence.

“We know Peter Obi very well, that’s why we endorsed him. He will not disappoint Nigerians, let’s put tribal differences apart and vote the right leader in.

“Tinubu sold Buhari to over 200 million Nigerians for his own selfish interest of wanting to rule after Buhari. None of them loves Nigeria,” he said.

Adebanjo reinterated that the Southeast should be trusted with power, adding that the geopolitical zone deserved to lead the country.

“Easterners are also Nigerians, they deserve to rule. I am sure Peter Obi will not subject himself to the northerners like Tinubu and Atiku would do if elected,” he added.