2023: Atiku may end up like Raila Odinga – Okechukwu

*Says Atiku/Ayu alliance, bad omen for PDP

Director General of Voice of Nigeria (VON), Mr. Osita Okechukwu has said that the forthcoming 2023 general elections in Nigeria will mirror many aspects of the recent presidential poll in the Republic of Kenya where Raila Odinga, a former Vice President failed to win the presidential election.

Okechukwu, a foundation member of the All Progressives Congress (APC), said that the crisis of confidence and mutual suspicion dogging the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), would worsen given the fact that the national chairman, Dr. Iyorchia Ayu, received a controversial vote of confidence from the party’s National Executive Committee (NEC) last week.

In a statement made available to newsmen, Sunday, Okechukwu regretted what he called the comedy of errors and odd consensus in PDP caused by the unholy alliance between the duo of Ayu and the party’s presidential candidate, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, to breach the PDP’s constitution and by extension the power rotation gentleman agreement that holds Nigeria together.

According to Okechukwu, what Ayu succeeded in doing 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, is simply to wilfully coronate His Excellency, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, as Nigeria’s 2023 version of His Excellency Raila Odinga.
“You will note that after all, both Atiku and Raila share a lot in common – former Vice Presidents, and serial presidential candidates. Indeed, Ayu has by his nepotism, given us impetus to, from henceforth, with no harm meant, address Nigeria’s former Vice President as His Excellency Atiku Odinga,” he declared.

The APC chieftain narrated how most patriotic Nigerians waited with high expectations that the 79th PDP National Executive Council 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 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,” he stated.

Okechukwu said that PDP has finally convinced Nigerians that they are neither prepared nor interested in building a harmonious, united and progressive country.

He added: “Atiku and Ayu have regrettably painted PDP in opaque colour of party of 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.”