2023: Wike Moves Against ‘Former Best Friend’ Tambuwal As Retired Generals Reportedly Back Saraki Over Atiku

With the 2023 presidential election getting closer, it brings with it political intrigues that will see old allies go their separate ways and many broken friendship as politicians position themselves for new alliances that serves their interest.

The main opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has so far proven not to be immune to such intrigues with many expecting the party to organise itself properly ahead of wrestling power from the All Progressives Congress (APC).

According to reports, a cold war is brewing in the PDP over its decision to throw its presidential ticket open to allow all regions contest for who emerges its flagbearer.

It was gathered that a camp of PDP governors led by Nyesom Wike of Rivers State is pushing for the resignation of long-time friend and ally Governor Aminu Tambuwal of Sokoto State as the chairman of the party governors forum.

Wike and some governors are basing their demand for Tambuwal’s resignation on the insistence that he cannot be chairman of the influential Governors’ Forum and be a participant in the contest for the party’s presidential ticket.

Recall that Tambuwal had during the week revealed that he is consulting across the nation on joining the 2023 presidential race.

Tambuwal had in 2018 contested for the PDP presidential ticket with the backing of Wike but lost out to former Vice President Atiku Abubakar.

That alliance may be dead as Wike is taking the lead in pushing for the PDP presidential candidate to be picked from the Southern part of the country.

The division among them was sharpened earlier in the week with the announcement by Tambuwal, chairman of the PDP Governors Forum that he would be consulting on his 2023 presidential prospects.

“You cannot be chairman of the PDP Governors Forum and be part of the process that you will be expected to arbitrate,” a source privy to the angst of the governors told Saturday Vanguard.

A message sent to Paulinus Nsirim, the commissioner for information, Rivers State on the issue had not been replied to as at press time.

Naija News reports that Governor Wike had earlier indicated that he was the best person to lead the party to victory in 2023.

“People take the South for granted saying that they are not together. No problems. If we don’t know yesterday, today we know,” the Rivers governor had said.

Affirming the capacity of the South to grab power, he added: “When we come out, we will choke them. They know it. So, everybody should relax, let the south do their homework and then they’ll make a proper statement.”

Meanwhile, reports have also emerged claiming that the powerful clique of retired generals, largely seen as the power brokers in the country, have thrown their weight behind former Senate President Bukola Saraki, striking a blow on the ambition of Atiku.

Sources revealed to Vanguard that the generals comprising some former heads of state and influential retired generals may be looking beyond Atiku despite backing him in the 2019 election.

Senator Bukola Saraki it was gathered may have become the retired generals preferred candidate as evidenced by developments in Minna earlier this week when Atiku visited.

Atiku visited General Ibrahim Babangida in his Minna residence on Tuesday, February 1, 2022, but no communique was issued at the end of the meeting.

However, days later, a group of emissaries from Saraki were with the former military president during which he gave an elaborate endorsement of Saraki.

“I’m glad to have found people who have defined who a true Nigerian leader should be. This definition was lacking. Am happy you have identified someone who can do the job. The narrative has to change. I know your client very well. I am part of him. His father was very close to me.

“You have zeroed on a good candidate. I call him SP. In the artillery, we have a Self Propelled gun called SP with strategic responsibility and functions. That is who he is,” Babangida had said.