Chieftain of the All Progressives Congress(APC),Senator Dayo Adeyeye has said that the main opposition People’s Democratic Party(PDP) is repeating same errors that sunk the party in the 2015 Presidential poll .
Adeyeye, former Minister of Works and National Chairman of Southwest Agenda for Asiwaju 2023 Presidency(SWAGA), opined that the PDP had embarked upon another path of self destruction with the litany of crises and discordant tunes .
The SWAGA boss alleged that the sharp divisions in the PDP had weighed the party down ,hence affecting the chances of its candidate, Atiku Abubakar in the 2023 presidential poll.
Senator Adeyeye ,a strong promoter of Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu (BAT) Presidency disclosed that the emergence of Peter Obi and Rabiu Musa Kwankawaso as presidential candidates of Labour party and New Nigeria People’s Party respectively, had depleted Atiku’s votes and narrowed his winning chances in the 2023 poll.
The former Minister said this on Thursday while featuring on a political programme on African Independent Television(AIT) and was monitored in Ado Ekiti, the Ekiti State capital. said ” You could all remember that the PDP lost in 2015 presidential poll to President Muhammadu Buhari because five governors defected to the newly formed APC. And if you look at the strength by adding five governors to the then APC, the two parties were nearly of equal strength and that affected the ruling party.
Adeyeye expressed optimism that Tinubu has a strong political networks across Nigeria to defeat Atiku, his closest rival and other opponents without going into a run- off as being predicted.
He said :”Tinubu has the network and strong political structures to amass 25% of votes in two/third of the 36 states. There won’t be any need for any run- off, because the APC has a strong candidate that can deliver”.
He said the breaking away of strong politicians, who had emerged as presidential candidates in other parties would automatically affect Atiku’s chances in the forthcoming poll.
“So in the coming election, the same scenario is playing out. About four months ago, Atiku, Obi and Kwankwaso belonged to the same party. So, Obi and Kwankwaso, who are now in LP and NNPP will divide the votes that are supposed to be for Atiku in the coming election.
“But if you look at the APC, the party is intact and strong behind Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu. Though, some few people had defected and I think that affected all the major parties. If you look at the two main parties, you will realise that APC is the one that is more cohesive, stable and intact”.
The SWAGA leader said though he could not confirm whether Tinubu and Governor Wike are in alliance talk, but added that the River State Governor joining the APC candidate would further enhanced Tinubu’s victory.
“Governor Wike had always insisted that power must rotate between the North and the South for justice and equity. So, if he supports us, it means he wants to be party of the struggle to ensure political balancing between the
North and the South and that will be good for APC.
“What the PDP did by giving the presidency to the North after eight years of presidency was a betrayal of trust and confidence. If not for Tinubu, the APC could have been in the same mess now. His participation in the primary prevented a Northern aspirant from emerging in APC because of his strength and network”.
Adeyeye said the hoopla generated by same faith ticket adopted by the APC will soon be over, saying the noise around such arrangement had been quenched shortly after the Plateau State Governor, Simon Lalong emerged the Director General of Tinubu/Shettima Campaign organisation.
“The APC has been trying hard to resolve the crisis emanating from Muslim-Muslim ticket. Some of those who felt aggrieved had reflected on their agitations and we are talking. The question has been that will Atiku presidency serves their interest more than Tinubu or not?
“But let me say that Since Governor Simon Lalong became the DG, things have begun to change. There had been a serious turnaround. Majority of our Christains brothers from the North Central are now working hard for Tinubu/Shettima presidency.
“They are rooting for him because they knew he has risen beyond the fantasy of making promises he could not fulfil. They knew that he is a man who has the experience to practically implement his policies and not those who were just dreaming”.
The former Minister dismissed the widespread insinuation that Tinubu is terminally sick to lead a country with multifarious challenges like Nigeria, saying he is mentally alert to lead and ensure good governance.