2027 POWER CHESS: NAVIGATING THE INTRIGUES, AMBITIONS, AND ALLIANCES TO UNSEAT THE INCUMBENT

Añadido: 2026-05-23

[00:00:00]for now, actually, it was stopped during the election, but now that he's here, filling the gap yourself. But then, that doesn't That hasn't stopped the opposition parties from, you know, alignment to realignment and putting up alliances, if they are putting any, by the way, you know, for them to have candidates that will emerge to unseat the incumbent. The SDP will appear like the media choice of Mr. Sanwo-Olu Adebayo, you know, appearing to be the sole candidate of the Social Democratic Party, one of the oldest parties in the nation. And the PDP, a few days ago, especially the Iyorchia Ayu part, has just waved the screening thing for Goodluck Jonathan, even in absentia, [clears throat] to say, "You have it all for you to emerge as a candidate in the PDP."

[00:00:56]The NDC, you know, has cleared former governor of Anambra State, Peter Obi. The ADC, you know, has former vice president Atiku Abubakar and Rotimi Amaechi. In fact, they have obtained from They have returned their form. And Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu who is the candidate of the APC as well. So, where are we in all of these, especially with the addition of Goodluck Jonathan into the fray right now? All are unseating President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

[00:01:28]Or some will say, "Maybe there are some unseen hands propelling Goodluck Jonathan, you know, to work for some certain individuals." But some will say, "Why not? He's a man of himself." And I've been saying, and everybody knows it's a fact, that he's the more experienced as far as president the work and whatever it entails is concerned in this nation. We will speak with the national treasurer of the People's Democratic Party.

[00:01:56]And, you know, the Abdul Rahman led party in fact we will have to clarify because the last court ruling it will appear that there is no victor no vanquish which has made the BOT to come into the administration of that party brings uh Dino Melaye joins us virtually. Thank you for joining us.

[00:02:20]Good evening.

[00:02:22]You might want to speak up a bit, sir.

[00:02:25]Thank you very much for having me. Very well.

[00:02:29]The battle to unseat President Tinubu is on. In fact, let me start from there.

[00:02:36]Is it part of the mandate of your PDP?

[00:02:40]Do you even have it as a plan to unseat President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, really?

[00:02:45]Do you really want to do that?

[00:02:47]Well, as a political party we are fulfilling all righteousness by presenting our candidate to Nigerian masses.

[00:02:57]It's now left for Nigerian masses to say yes we are accepting this candidate we are rejecting this.

[00:03:05]So, that's just the situation we are. To fulfill all righteousness.

[00:03:10]Yes. Interesting. So, practically you don't really mean it. But inasmuch as the constitution says or allows you, you know, to field a candidate you will field a candidate. But why really so why go through all the trouble when actually in concrete terms you don't have a plan to unseat President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

[00:03:30]Why go through all the trouble?

[00:03:32]What what are the plans to unseat the president? The plans are present a credible candidate that would have met all constitutional requirements.

[00:03:43]Present your manifesto, campaign round the country and let Nigerians decide who they want.

[00:03:50]So, what else determines if you are serious about chasing away a sitting president? What else determines it? It's in Nigeria.

[00:04:00]>> have done at this time? Have you Have you Have you set your mind on a particular candidate?

[00:04:07]We already have a candidate. We will unveil him at the right time. Mhm. Who is that person?

[00:04:13]Oh.

[00:04:13]You are a journalist. You would have known this. No, I've known I'm not a member of your party.

[00:04:18]>> I've just said it now.

[00:04:20]We will unveil him at the We will unveil him >> President Adamu, give us an exclusive here. Who is your party candidate?

[00:04:27]>> We will unveil him latest by Monday. Is it Goodluck Jonathan?

[00:04:33]How can Goodluck Jonathan be our candidate? Is he Is he Is he Is he contesting?

[00:04:38]Did he apply? Did he Did he Did he get the form?

[00:04:41]But the Atiku-led faction, you know, seemed to have given him a clean slate or I mean a clear ride to the candidacy of that faction.

[00:04:54]I mean >> Number one, let me Let me say this this morning.

[00:04:59]Mhm. I dislike the use of the word faction. There's no faction in PDP. And you as a journalist, if INEC as the umpire of the electoral umpire recognizes a political party, what faction are we talking about? If the constitution of the country of the country If the judgment of the of the Supreme Court favors a particular political party, why do you still believe in a faction? There's nothing like faction as far as we are concerned.

[00:05:28]Mhm.

[00:05:29]Nothing like faction. We don't even see them. We don't even know a faction A faction does not exist as far as we are concerned. We operate from Wadata Building, which is the headquarters of the party. We are recognized by INEC.

[00:05:40]We don't have any issue with anybody.

[00:05:43]But anybody can claim anything any day.

[00:05:44]Anybody can do anything. They are only adding uh drama to the political situation we are in this country. If not, imagine.

[00:05:56]Did you see Jonathan expressing his interest in the presidency?

[00:06:02]There's one There is a form that we all all political party produce, and that is expression of interest. You even pay for it.

[00:06:12]It's not free.

[00:06:13]It's to tell you It's to tell the world that I am expressing my interest in this position. They pay for it.

[00:06:21]Apart from that, you now pay for the real form which you have to fill and submit as a candidate. Did you see Jonathan expressing accepting the form of expression from anybody? Did you see him attending any screening? Did you see him in signifying his intention? Instead, even the wife who spoke out did not forget anything as a road that they want to go and take back.

[00:06:48]So, if you now see some group of people claiming that he is their candidate, you understand that they're only adding drama to the political situation in the country. That's it. Mhm. All right, Prince. I mean, as you mean now that you know, the PDP is one, would you say that following, you know, all of the INEC and you know, the courts, you know, declarations, that the PDP is one? Is the weak is the weak care camp of this PDP that is known and recognized? Is it against or widely advised to the candidacy of Goodluck Jonathan?

[00:07:27]There is nothing like weak care camp.

[00:07:29]There is nothing like weak care weak care faction. We have the national working committee that represents the party that works in tandem with the laws of the land or whatever is guiding the electoral regulation. Wike is just an individual.

[00:07:48]And I've just told you as a political party we have there has been a candidate that has expressed his interest obtained the form, screened.

[00:08:00]We are going to have his primary done on the 26th of this month. So, where is Wike in this?

[00:08:11]Where is Wike in this?

[00:08:14]Wike did not dictate to the NWC that you should not have a presidential candidate. Or as a party, don't we don't want anybody as a presidential as presidential candidate. He never did that.

[00:08:25]So, leave Wike alone. If you are talking of Wike, talk about Wike as an individual and not as somebody who is in control of the law.

[00:08:33]>> several occasions on this platform, you've talked about how Wike has been one of the major backbones of the PDP.

[00:08:40]You know, one of the founding fathers left you know, at the time said, "If we're talking about the PDP today, majorly we're talking about Wike." We saw before the INEC and the court declaration, before INEC recognized I mean, this faction that is now known as the PDP today, we saw the factions and we saw how Wike was the voice of that faction. So, we can't be saying you can't say we should leave Wike alone in this. We're talking based on what has been playing out, you know, in your party prior to now.

[00:09:12]I've just said it now. Wike is an individual.

[00:09:16]Whatever he says is not representing the party. Mhm. We have Juju Muhammad as the voice of the party.

[00:09:26]We have Abdulrahman Muhammad who happens to be the chairman as the voice of the party.

[00:09:31]We have Senator Sam Anyanwu as the secretary of the party who can speak for the party?

[00:09:37]Wike is a national leader.

[00:09:41]He's a member of neck. He's a member of BOT. He has every right to speak, but there are situation and times that whatever he says does not represent the party. And he wouldn't claim to be representing the party. He'd be saying as far as he is concerned, Wike. So, that's what I'll declare. That that's the clarity in what I'm saying now. All right.

[00:10:03]Now, there um after the last uh Supreme Court judgment, uh the BOT with Adophus Wabara and you know, the other guys like Babangida Aliyu came out and they urged the two camps, the Abdulrahman camp, the Wike camp to stand down and let the BOT do their work. And they have been speaking, you know, as far as the PDP is concerned. Uh does your camp really recognize or are you working with the Adophus Wabara-led BOT?

[00:10:37]I want to challenge you this morning.

[00:10:39]The Supreme Court contains 139 pages.

[00:10:44]Why don't you spare time to read from page 1 to that 139 to see what the Supreme Court says about this political party, about the judgment.

[00:10:55]If you had read it, you won't come up with this question about Abdul Abdul about Wabara >> talking about the BOT >> BOT taking over the party.

[00:11:04]There's nothing like that.

[00:11:05]>> Nothing like that. The Hold on, sir.

[00:11:08]>> there is nothing like BOT taking over any political >> I'm not a member of your party. The BOT or any other party for that matter, the BOT uh spoke aftermath, you know, after about particular pronouncement and they urged the two camps to stand down.

[00:11:25]That's what I'm saying. Are you working with them? Does their statement resonate with yours? This is not me. I am now I am now telling you that that aspect of beauty's claim did not is not part of the judgement.

[00:11:42]They are still part of Seyi Makinde's abracadabra.

[00:11:46]They are still part of Seyi Makinde's to keep the you know the the side going. There's nothing like beauty taking over the party. Uh. That's why I challenge you to go and read the judgement. If there has been any contrary claim, we wouldn't be in office today. We wouldn't be in Wadata. We would be in court or whatever. So, does the beauty does the PDP have a beauty?

[00:12:10]We have a beauty.

[00:12:11]>> Who is the who are the beauties?

[00:12:14]Who the beauty are No, let me get your question right. Does the PDP that you are claiming [clears throat] PDP is one We have We have beauty. Yes. Who Who is the leader of the beauty?

[00:12:28]Senator Waka.

[00:12:31]So, is not They are not first one but let beauty is with the other camp. The Senator Waka is with your camp. Yes, they are with the other camp. That's what I want you to understand. They are with Seyi Makinde. So, there is a faction. And all of them.

[00:12:45]So, there is a faction.

[00:12:46]>> Just like Just like with the with the Supreme Court judgement. There's nothing like faction again.

[00:12:54]>> All right. Are you concerned that there are some members of the PDP that are aggrieved with the party in camp? This is the same thing that led to the 2023 election. Do you know that? And are you concerned that this is another time that the PDP that is supposed to put its acts together, put its home in order is having people like in the camp and you know loyal to the Seyi Makinde, you know, camp or is is alliance? Are you not concerned that this is another time that you're having a big rift in the PDP that people thought will put its act together in the coming elections.

[00:13:34]Yes, I agree with you on that.

[00:13:37]There are people who are aggrieved.

[00:13:40]And since 2023 election between Atiku and Wike, we have not come out of that crisis up till now. But this is the time that we are rebuilding the party. It's now left for people who are really party men, who really understand how parties should be built to join off. This is not the first time this kind of a thing is happening. And it was the reason why Wike insisted.

[00:14:06]This is not the first time. Let Let me remind you.

[00:14:09]Prior to that election, you will agree with me that the likes of Atiku, Tambuwal, and all of them left the party. Just like the situation we find ourselves.

[00:14:18]They left the party for APC. They were the ones that assisted Buhari to become the president.

[00:14:25]Well, Wike took on the party, built it up, and then showed that it became the darling of Nigeria that whoever it produced at that time would become the president.

[00:14:35]>> The same Wike that sitting on the fence now is neither here nor there. He's one leg in the APC, another leg in in the PDP, at least at the national level.

[00:14:44]Rivers state has majorly, you know, um is anchoring the two parts of you know, of the parties. So, Yes. A person who left, is he not better than a Wike who is there in your party but loyal to an outsider?

[00:15:02]Let me Let me Let me Let me Let me Let me Let me reveal something to you this morning. You're a journalist, I'm a politician. I was a journalist before I joined there. So, I I have a new I have uh a kind of a knowledge into how politics and how politics is played.

[00:15:18]Wike joining Wike asking his people to go and contest in APC is like I want to take over this party from people who believe they are the owner.

[00:15:33]So, let me take let me seize the house from them.

[00:15:37]Let me take over the house and let me remain who I am.

[00:15:41]So, Wike is in fact give it to him that he is a political wizard.

[00:15:46]A political wizardry is like >> wizardry or the fact that he's enjoying the goodwill of the president? I mean, that's a structure that the president himself has been, you know, uh fully into. He's an APC man to the core and he has had the he has the structure of the of this party in his head. So, is it because of Wike's political wizardry or because the gov I mean, the president has handed the APC over to him in some regard?

[00:16:12]Whether the president favors him or the president likes him, in as much as he's getting whatever he wants done, he's a political calculation.

[00:16:23]If he has left APC as a political party to exist in River, perhaps he would be having a lot of issue because APC would be sending a candidate by now. PDP would be presenting his own. But, he has left his own house, which is PDP, to take over somebody's structure and ensure that you don't use your candidate to disturb me. Who I want as governor is who I want. So, either in APC or in PDP, it is the same.

[00:16:52]All he wants is he wants to ensure that as far as River State is concerned, he's the one that produced the president and it has gotten to that stage now because Tubara has chicken out.

[00:17:06]And that is the essence >> [clears throat] >> of taking over the APC from him. Did Tubara chicken out or you choked him out?

[00:17:14]Whichever.

[00:17:15]>> Okay, him out.

[00:17:15]>> He used the word we choked him out.

[00:17:18]It's the same thing. So that you you own it with your full chest. You You and your friend APC sitting room Before we leave this particular conversation, I'd like to ask you now, here and now, how you see this, you know, this play that Wike is doing?

[00:17:35]How you see it playing out in the coming days for the PDP? Is the APC probably let's talk about let's use Rivers as an example now that Wike is seeming to hold the two structure. I mean, the structure of both parties in his hands at this time. Is the APC going to swallow up the PDP or is it the other way around? Or then, if none is going to happen of these two, how do you work with a person who is in both? Are you not going to be a locker loggerheads, you know, in the coming days with this? How do you see it playing out?

[00:18:10]It will play out in such a way that PDP will stand firm and will become stronger as a political party.

[00:18:21]What will happen to APC is what I can what I don't know. I'm in PDP, but I know the strategy we have and I don't have to reveal it on the, you know, to the public. But I can assure you PDP will bounce back in a great way.

[00:18:35]All right.

[00:18:36]Uh my point um let me take you back before we now move to where we are right now. Uh when I said does the PDP have um you know, in a a plan to unseat Mr. President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, but you said to fulfill our our righteousness, uh Nigerians will find out very soon.

[00:18:54]Let me ask you, Mr. Adeyemi, do you want President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to leave in 2027?

[00:19:00]Why not?

[00:19:02]I don't belong to his political party.

[00:19:04]>> No, you You are Mr. Adeyemi. You are a major stakeholder [clears throat] in the PDP, but not just as a the Do you think he has done enough to retain his seat or he should leave?

[00:19:16]When it is time when it is time to cast my vote, I will take a decision.

[00:19:22]For the candidate of your party or for Mr. President?

[00:19:26]No, I will be I am going to vote for the candidate of my party. Why not? Which is more like a placeholder.

[00:19:34]Who told you he's a placeholder? I've just told you that he's coming out. He will campaign. We can read between the lines. All right.

[00:19:41]Mr. Adebayo, one can easily see read between the lines to say you use the word to fulfill all righteousness. You feel he can win. In fact, there are some persons that feel even the advent of Goodluck Jonathan into this race, maybe he's being used by the villa to further divide whatever the other opposition parties are planning. Do you think maybe that's possible?

[00:20:02]>> No.

[00:20:03]So, who is bringing Jonathan then? Are you now saying it's Bola Ahmed Tinubu that is planting Jonathan then?

[00:20:07]>> you. You are the politician. You I've I've just told you that Jonathan is not even interested.

[00:20:13]It is the Imagine Day fashion that are trying to drag him. But Ishak Makinde himself last week declared that he wants to be president. So, if actually the Ishak Makinde camp is working with um you know, Goodluck Jonathan just like you said, but Ishak Makinde himself has said he will want to be president with the PDP APM thing.

[00:20:38]So, why are you politicians just confusing Nigerians all over the place?

[00:20:41]Who would have told you that Ishak Makinde is not a placeholder?

[00:20:45]For who? APM.

[00:20:47]Just like the system Wike is using in River. Let me go and take over that party so that nobody comes out from there. But whoever comes out from our own version will be will become the presidential candidate.

[00:21:02]So, in this political game and the chess will it be all right everybody?

[00:21:10]Hold on, sir. In this political calculation and this political chess now, will it be right to say all of these persons that we have talked about, all of you in a kind of way are just working for Ashiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, including Sheyi Makinde himself?

[00:21:24]No, that is that that is not right.

[00:21:26]That is not right. How is it not right?

[00:21:29]You know why I put that there because No, please, hold on.

[00:21:33]Hold on, sir. Few weeks ago, that was the Ibadan declaration. We had the opinion that >> Exactly. That's what I wanted to say.

[00:21:39]And of course, they said they will feed a candidate. Just less than a week after that, everybody begin to Atiku, Rabiu Kwankwaso, Sheyi Makinde, Kwankwaso, Obi and all of those persons, your camp say you are going to feed your own candidate. Goodluck Jonathan's house was besieged by supporters to say come and run and everybody is just scattered all over the place. Is this not a subtle way to say Mr. Bola Ahmed Tinubu, go ahead.

[00:22:09]It's not a subtle way. You see, when they had that conglomeration of politicians and declared that they were going to present a candidate, Mhm.

[00:22:20]I came out to convince you that that is politics.

[00:22:24]That they were not going to step out for each other. They all have ambition and they are all ready to slug it out among themselves.

[00:22:32]The what you can say is that from all these political parties, not being able to present a candidate, are they not giving chance and opportunity to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to win the election? If you say that, then you may be right.

[00:22:51]So, the scattering of the opposition parties is definitely working for an Ashiwaju to say you are good to go.

[00:23:00]That's exactly You see, we are not saying the same thing.

[00:23:04]It is not a calculated or premeditated arrangement. Okay. That the president Bola Ahmed Tinubu should continue in office.

[00:23:16]What is playing out is inability of all the oppositions to come together and present a candidate as declared in the ballot.

[00:23:27]So, in the midst of everybody coming out, just like Atiku and Obi did in the last election, they will split their votes and then technically they are giving the president the opportunity to come back.

[00:23:42]Um um Prince, what if it happens?

[00:23:45]Because some analysts are also arguing that if Peter Obi, Makinde, you know, if they should custom or eat or cannibalize the southern votes, the north is left for Atiku to custom the votes there, and this is going to bounce back on the villa. Do you agree with that math as well?

[00:24:07]I don't agree with that because Atiku is not sellable even in the north. In the north, in the east, in the south, in the west, Atiku is a person that is not sellable. How so?

[00:24:19]This is the person that came second in the last elections.

[00:24:23]So, how so?

[00:24:23]>> come second. He will always come second.

[00:24:26]Even with Tinubu, Obi, and Makinde sharing the vote of the south?

[00:24:33]There's nothing like sharing.

[00:24:35]There's nothing like sharing here.

[00:24:38]And who told you actually that Bola Ahmed Tinubu is not accepted in the north more than Atiku?

[00:24:44]Is he?

[00:24:45]>> So, even if they all if they all present a candidate, that will make it interesting.

[00:24:51]Not the way they are going about it in different political parties presenting a presidential candidate.

[00:24:58]So, forget about splitting any vote from the south and the article is as the only candidate from the north who win an election. No, it's not going to happen.

[00:25:07]I've told you severally that politics is not mathematics where you add two and two together and get four. Do you not think that people have moved past the idea of a party now? People are looking to the figures, the heavyweights behind this parties.

[00:25:22]And then, over the time in this recent time, their position have been moving from one party to the other and this parties are beginning to gain momentum.

[00:25:30]The ADC is there, the NDC and now Sheyi Makinde, you know, foreign into the APM.

[00:25:36]We're hearing names of parties that were not heard before. So, with this political big wigs and heavyweights entering into different parties now, do you think the people are still concerned about who I mean, what party, you know, or what platform you're you're you're you're on to, you know, bring your candidacy about? And do you think that the north is not really concerned about their own being in power such that article may really have an edge win.

[00:26:07]I don't believe in that.

[00:26:10]It's not about their own. Article Article is not considered as their own.

[00:26:15]How so? If he is If he is, he would have won an election as the president.

[00:26:22]He has couples of supporters, not that he is not He doesn't have supporters.

[00:26:25]Those couples of supporters A man has 600,000 >> to make him the president.

[00:26:34]A man had over 6 million votes. You say that it was I mean, that's couple of supporters.

[00:26:40]This 6 million This 6 million made him the president?

[00:26:45]But you know how fragmented the PDP was at the time and he could still cost them such figures. Do you not think that that's a man who still has, you know, a lot of weight at this time.

[00:26:57]This 6 million is not in waiting.

[00:27:00]It's not kept somewhere. It's not something you just pick up and say, "Yeah, in 2026 or 2027, this 6 million is there." Is it in waiting for the president either or for your own candidate?

[00:27:14]Nothing No No figure is waiting for anybody.

[00:27:18]It's going to be a different ballgame.

[00:27:20]Nigerians are more wiser.

[00:27:22]They have different reasons to say, "This is the person we are going to vote for. This is the political party we are going to adopt."

[00:27:28]Mhm.

[00:27:29]So, if you are judging or you are you base Atiku's popularity or acceptance on the fact that he got 60 million somewhere, I'm now telling you that even he's coming out to say he wants to be president again has made the annoyance of some people who believe that he should not even come out again and they are not going to vote for him. So, who told you the figure will not reduce?

[00:27:51]All right, Prince. Uh let me Using your logic right now about acceptance of uh um Atiku Abubakar in the north. One will say even with the cult-like following that Muhammadu Buhari had for three elections, he had millions eight and like 8 millions, you know, uh who were always following him. He couldn't be president until he had that allegiance and alliance with the APC and the rest of them. I mean, the AD ACN that formed the APC before he could emerge. So, having that alone, I mean, might not be the fact that because he's not popular, but because a politician or somebody that will emerge as a president in Nigeria must cut across, not just from a particular region. That's granted, one.

[00:28:36]The same Atiku Abubakar, um I readily Muhammadu Buhari said he's the most sellable right now. He's the one with the following right now. Now, if the southern guys, are they bio, Tinubu, Obi, um maybe Goodluck Jonathan, Atiku and the rest of them will have their vote divided if actually they match. Atiku Abubakar, according to Dele Momodu, possibly is the one with the biggest clout right now. You don't agree with Dele Momodu.

[00:29:04]I disagree with that.

[00:29:06]Dele Momodu, we all know he's supporting his candidate. He's supporting Atiku.

[00:29:11]So, he's there he can come up on television to uh propagate or say whatever.

[00:29:19]I've said it.

[00:29:20]Let Atiku come out. If Atiku is coming out, we will see what is going to happen.

[00:29:26]But The Atiku is not a small fry. As one would say, there are some persons that have said he has been a perennial aspirant and candidate. And one would say, Buhari tried three times. If actually as you said, he tried and retired to Kaduna. You have to tell him and say, "Don't cry. Come back. We make things work." So, why do you think an Atiku can never emerge as a president?

[00:29:51]Atiku's personality, you can't match Atiku's personality with that of Buhari.

[00:29:55]How do you mean?

[00:29:56]People, to some extent, by and large, have distrust in Buhari as a clean person who is not corrupt.

[00:30:09]Somebody who operated with late Idiagbon to instill discipline in the society during this era as a military man.

[00:30:17]He was still carrying those image.

[00:30:21]Not the image of somebody who is discredited by President Olusegun Obasanjo who worked with him.

[00:30:29]Not somebody who has been labeled to be a corrupt person.

[00:30:34]Not somebody who who is believed to be so desperate to become the president in his life. But he has never been he has never been convicted by any court.

[00:30:44]I'm not saying I said the perception.

[00:30:47]Does the people care about that? Really?

[00:30:49]Does enough care about that?

[00:30:51]You see even if you go to court to say you are not corrupt the impression people have against you cannot be tied to court. Cannot change anything.

[00:31:02]Well, even the saint-like nature that you seem to say that the late Muhammad Buhari had did not help him three times until there was a coalition of sorts.

[00:31:13]So, how then how does that work against an Atiku now that it has not really done in the past or what's the deal that could be done again?

[00:31:26]The difference in that is that Atiku is not having a coalition.

[00:31:33]Which Buhari had before he became the president.

[00:31:36]Even with his clean image, with his acceptability, with everything, there was still that coalition. There was that decision by many political parties to say yes, we are backing you. Well, you also say that 24 hours is a long time in politics. Do you not think that a coalition of sorts could still emerge?

[00:31:57]It can emerge in this era.

[00:31:59]Not with the kind of politicians that we have right now who had a summit in the banana agreed that they were going to present a candidate and a week later they all they all scattered.

[00:32:11]Could this not be a grand plan or ploy?

[00:32:18]All right. If if all of this clouds in and all of this, you know, um the stance of an Atiku who has been in this race for a long time now. If it doesn't help an Atiku, how does it help your candidate?

[00:32:34]Can you repeat the question, please? I didn't get that. If the political cloud of an article >> Yeah.

[00:32:39]up until this time has not helped him so far in this race, I mean, you said you were backing a particular candidate that is going to be unveiled soon.

[00:32:48]How does this, I mean, with and the advent of an incumbent Tinubu and his sagacity as many people have praised, Obi is there, Makinde's foray into the race, and Jonathan the people are still talking about even though you said he has not, you know, really declared anything.

[00:33:04]>> He's not convenient. But, with all of these people and Imeachi and Ayadeen, Atiku himself, with all of these people somewhere, what's the chance of your candidate? What are his chances?

[00:33:20]We are presenting a candidate that is humane, that is educated, that is decent, that has good manifesto for Nigeria.

[00:33:31]He is a professor.

[00:33:34]By the time we are unveiling, I'm sure many of you will be >> President I'm I'm almost at uh um you know, I have to just maintain my calm, not to butt in because one would really think that you guys should not play with Nigerians really. You already know who you are working for using your word um you know, fulfilling your righteousness when you present your candidate, it will be the choice of Nigerians to vote for the person or not to vote for the person. That's not how your party man is serious about candidates, he talks really. And the same Wike, your party man who has said he will be the poster boy, he will be the campaign leader for Ashiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, is the same one that will still present the candidate. Please, um President Ayemi, but let's come back home. Let's come back home, yeah. You know, so that we talk about some things that are more real than whatever the Wiki Abdul Rahman or Jeremy PDP will try and gaslight Nigerians with. The election is August 15th and the tension is getting higher.

[00:34:46]Somebody has been killed in Ikire.

[00:34:48]Campaign posters are being vandalized.

[00:34:51]Campaign billboards, materials, quarrels here and there and the um APC are saying go and write it down. If I one of their chieftains on this program said, he said to another um you know comrade of Adeleke to say, "Tell your principal to write his handover. He's going and they have everything worked out. The Osun people will vote for them. He must leave." Are you on ground at all to recognize the kind of political battle Governor Adeleke might be facing and how things are right now?

[00:35:31]I don't believe Governor Adeleke has any problem in Osun.

[00:35:35]And I've said this severally.

[00:35:38]When I learned that the posters and billboards are being torn here and there, I said to myself, "Does he even need any poster or billboard in Osun?"

[00:35:47]Of course, people knows him. His work will speak with for him and the people of Osun state have already made up their mind. They already know who they want to cast their vote for.

[00:35:57]So, the idea of tearing posters or creating problem here and there will not work against the government or the governor.

[00:36:06]All right.

[00:36:07]>> So, you we know we are convinced within ourselves that there is no amount of plan to rig this election will work. Osun is going to be an exception to rigging.

[00:36:19]The people will resist rigging. The people will resist APC in Osun. Not because of anything other than the fact that Governor actually walk himself into the hearts of >> Professor it's quite interesting to know that the same APC that Wiki is working for at the national is the same APC you said won't have his way in ocean here. But quickly because of time let me bring you to your own domain in Ejigbo South. Actually your own Kinsman Wale Oke is almost set to be a candidate of the House of Reps for the APC. Olumide Alajenbesi you know, House of Reps for the Accord Party. Senator Fadahunsi Senate candidate for the APC Ibikunle Senate candidate for the Accord Party. How do you see that playing out? Wale Oke, Pelumi IBK and Senator Fadahunsi.

[00:37:22]It's going to be it will be an interesting election.

[00:37:26]This is the first time we are having somebody from Obokun.

[00:37:30]And another person from Olorunda.

[00:37:33]Wale Oke that has that is running now that has been nominated or selected by APC is from Obokun who is going for the sixth time.

[00:37:43]It's now left for the people of Olorunda to prove with their votes if indeed they don't have a son that will represent them in the House of Reps.

[00:37:53]It's going to be a simple election. It's as simple as that.

[00:37:56]Really? Then regarding Fadahunsi and uh IBK I can assure you that we are having this election after the governor might have emerged as the governor after he might have become a governor for the second time.

[00:38:14]The influence of the governor and the performance of IBK will all add up to ensure that in Ocean State, we still retain the number of members we have in the House of Reps, the Senate, and the House of Assembly. Mhm. It's a simple calculation.

[00:38:33]>> So, the emergence of Governor Adeleke has a big role to play to help these candidates.

[00:38:38]>> Exactly. That that's what I'm saying.

[00:38:39]Mhm.

[00:38:40]All right. And I can assure you, the moment Adeleke wins the second election, all of them will run away there. They will not even be in the contest again.

[00:38:48]That has always been the situation. So, Prince, you're confident about the victory of the incumbent Governor Ademola Adeleke in the coming elections.

[00:38:57]Very, very confident and sure that the people of Ocean State will vote him.

[00:39:01]Very, very sure. And in fact, I don't have any problem. I don't There are times that I don't even think about what other people are saying.

[00:39:09]When they say they were tearing the posters, I said, "Let them tear it. If I were Governor there, I wouldn't even encourage anybody to paste any poster on my behalf. Who does not know Governor Adeleke? Not only in Osun, but even in Nigeria."

[00:39:20]Who does not know him? Do I need any poster for people to not see my face or to know what I've done?

[00:39:25]Time shall tell.

[00:39:26]>> My name and my achievement on on the street and in the hospital, in schools, and everywhere will speak for me. It's more than enough. So, let them continue to tear the posters they think that is the only way through which they can win election.

[00:39:39]All right. Thank you so much for joining us on this morning broadcast. Prince De Roe Dayemi, chieftain of the PDP. Thank you so much.

[00:39:48]Thank you very much for having me.

[00:39:50]All right, WIA. It's been quite a show we've had. We've talked with the APM, you know, our secretary right here in the state uh this morning. And we've also spoken with the national leadership, a person at the helm, or a stakeholder right there.

[00:40:07]Yes, of the PDP to talk about some of the updates, some of the new developments in the country as regards the forthcoming elections in state. And this, as the penultimate installment for the week on Thursday, right here on Morning Spring on Western Spring Television. We'll make a comeback tomorrow where we talk about more things, more developments. But we hope that we have good things to talk about always apart from the insecurity ravaging the country. My name is Ajijola Oluwa. I'll see you tomorrow.

[00:40:42]Femi Ojo is my name. God bless Osun State. God bless your state. God bless the Federal Republic of Nigeria. I'll see you tomorrow for the TJA edition of Morning Spring.