Looks like Olusegun Obasanjo has made up his mind to ensure Atiku Abubakar never becomes President of Nigeria. 

NAIJA NEWS NG monitored a report by Leadership Newspaper reveals that the former President has started mobilizing strategic stakeholders in the southern part of the country against PDP’s candidate, Atiku Abubakar .

Political sources, who confirmed the move, said the former president, who expressed unhappiness at the emergence of Atiku Abubakar as the PDP presidential candidate ahead of his southern counterparts, argued that power should return to the South after President Muhammadu Buhari’s eight years as president.

Atiku emerged PDP candidate for a second time in four years at the MKO National Stadium late Saturday, scoring a total of 371 Votes to defeat his closest rival, Nyesom Wike, who scored 237 votes.

The sources said Obasanjo’s grievances with Atiku may not be unconnected to the longstanding differences since they both acted as president and vice president of the country, when Atiku rose to fame.

However, Obasanjo forgave and supported Atiku in the last general elections which the latter lost to an incumbent President Muhammadu Buhari.

But sources said Obasanjo would rather have another person win the PDP presidential ticket instead of the former vice president and that is why he is determined to mobilise Southern leaders against Atiku at the 2023 general elections.

Wike, Makinde , Ortom , Donald Duke Meet Obasanjo

Top sources, who spoke to LEADERSHIP exclusively on the current plan, said the former president had already detailed former Cross River State governor, Donald Duke, to start the process of organising strategic leaders against Atiku.

The sources said part of Duke’s assignments is to mobilise support across the southern part of the country in favour of Peter Obi, who is the presidential candidate for the Labour Party.

Obasanjo also held meetings with Obi and Duke and urged them to lobby River State governor, Nyesom Wike, who is obviously angry at the outcome of the primary of the PDP, where he lost to Ati ku Abubakar.

The sources also said Obasanjo had concluded plans to personally meet with Wike and all the top stakeholders from the southern part of the country to ensure that power returns to the south at the 2023 general election.

Peter Obi Meets Obasanjo (Photos )

Other sources also noted that Duke’s grievances are with the alleged betrayal of Wike by the Sokoto State governor, Aminu Tambuwal, who openly stepped down at the 11th hour of the PDP primary election and told his delegates to vote for Atiku, despite the fact that Wike has always supported Tambuwal both politically, financially and otherwise, especially during the 2019 PDP presidential primary elections.

Duke is also said to be aggrieved over the money spent on Tambuwal and his ambition by Wike, who naturally should get his support at the primaries but lost it due to northern collaboration before the primaries.

Duke, while lamenting the betrayal to Obasanjo, also confirmed the betrayal of some southern governors who wanted their delegates to vote for Atiku, noting that it was only delegates from Akwa Ibom and Edo that defied their governors’ order to vote for Wike.

After the primary, Wike had declared that some PDP governors ganged up with some vested interest groups to derail the quest for Southern Nigeria to produce the next president.

He said it was the agreement of the Southern governors that the presidency should come to the South, which he stood by going into the contest.

Meanwhile, Duke is also said to have already started working towards mobilisation for this task, as he has already contacted a respected priest from Cross River State, pointing out the implications of power remaining in the north and the neglect of the South East and the South South, which were already allegedly schemed out in the PDP power equation.

Ayu To PDP Leaders: Let’s Stop APC’s Misrule

Meanwhile, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has rallied PDP members to unite and end the misrule of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).

Atiku stated this shortly after receiving his certificate of return as the PDP presidential candidate at the party’s national secretariat, adding that the recent party primaries were a contest within family members on how to put their best feet forward.

Atiku emerged presidential candidate of the PDP last Saturday.

Veteran actress, journalist and television presenter, Taiwo Ajai-Lycett was honoured with the Industry Merit Award at the 8th Africa Magic Viewers’ Choice Awards (AMVCA) on Saturday night.

The AMVCA continued its tradition of recognizing veterans in the film industry who have in no small way contributed to the development of the African film and television industry.

The screen doyen admitted to being short of words as she received the AMVCA award that solidifies her status in Nollywood’s Hall of Fame.  She joins other industry stalwarts to have clinched the award. They include Olu Jacobs, Pete Edochie, Amaka Igwe, Bukky Ajayi, Sadiq Daba, Chika Okpala, Tunde Kelani and Peter Igho.

Full of emotions, she described how happy she was to receive the award.

“I’ve lived to carry this. This is a major surprise to me. I’ve been to places but there’s no place like home,” the legendary filmmaker said. Her statement made a case for honouring our legends while they are still alive.

Ajai-Lycett, 81, is renowned for her charismatic acting, wit, grace and eloquence. After she made her acting debut in 1966 in Wole Soyinka’s two-act comedy ‘The Lion and the Jewel’, she went on to become a regular in British sitcoms such as Comedy Playhouse, Angels, Some Mothers Do ‘Ave ‘Em alongside Michael Crawford, better known as ‘Frank Spencer’, among others

Her Nollywood portfolio boasts of  watched films and series such as Dazzling Mirage, Oloibiri, Madam President and more recently, King of Boys: The Return of the King.

The content market workshop, a part of activities for the 8th AMVCAs, held on Tuesday, 10 May and featured African film producers, actors, actresses, and industry stakeholders.

The workshop created a platform where industry stakeholders and partners shared best practices and actionable insight on Africa Magic’s content acquisition processes. It provided a platform for filmmakers to showcase authentic local content.

The Executive head of Content and West Africa, Dr. Busola Tejumola, spoke on the need to create a forum that will focus on delivering effective feedback for the purpose of promoting standard content from both ends.

“We love the engagement from this workshop, and it will be exciting to have this twice a year. We need to improve and continually evolve with our production, storytelling, continually receive feedback, and create more industry engagements like this,” she said.

One of the panel sections focused on the integral steps needed for film recognition. The discussion was chaired by Margaret Akoh, Dotun Ojoh, Showmax Nigeria’s Adeola Oluwatobi, and Tayo Adetunji. Emphasis was placed on the need to create quality content, keep up with industry trends, and select suitable platforms that resonate with the filmmakers’ core audience.

The workshop was attended by top industry personalities including Head of Corporate Affairs, MultiChoice Nigeria Caroline Oghuma, and Head Judge for 8th AMVCA Victor Okhai, amongst others.

The AMVCA week will reach its climax on Saturday, 14th of May when the AMVCA award night will hold. The award night will be aired live on Africa Magic channels on DStv and GOtv from 4 pm WAT.