Indications emerged, on Sunday, that members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) caucus in the House of Representatives might endorse River State Governor, Nyesom Wike, as running mate of the presidential flag bearer of the party, Atiku Abubakar.
This came to the fore after a member of the caucus, Mr. Busayo Oluwole Oke, in a statement, disclosed that key colleagues would meet in Abuja today to take the decision.
Oke, who chairs the House Committee on Public Accounts, explained that the members, comprising party faithful across the six geopolitical zones, had already resolved to endorse Wike after seriously considering his contribution to the growth of the party over the years.
He said: “We, the Progressives at the Green Chamber of the National Assembly, under the umbrella of our great party, the PDP, are meeting on Monday in Abuja to endorse the candidature of the River State Governor, Nyesom Wike, as the vice presidential candidate of our party.
“We have been watching with keen interest all his activities over the years. We have also assessed his ability and capability in all the spheres of life, and we have seen in him all what the party needs to win the presidential poll in 2023. With our presidential candidate, Abubakar Atiku, leading, we have total confidence in the duo.
“Wike’s achievements as governor of River State is of public knowledge and towers above others in the land. He is a fighter for true federalism, highly detribalised, and defender of our constitution.
“While we respect the right of the presidential candidate to choose the person he wants, his decision to embark on wider consultation is commendable, and a sign of a true democrat.
“The caucus will meet with our presidential flag bearer to convey our position to him almost immediately.”
MEANWHILE, the National Union of Electricity Employees (NUEE) has described the three-point agenda of Atiku, targeting privatisation of refineries, rail sector, Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN), and breaking the monopoly of all other infrastructure operations, as dead on arrival.
A statement by the General Secretary, NUEE, Joe Ajaero, on Sunday, said Atiku, through the three-point agenda, wants to finish what is left of the citizens’ common patrimony as a nation.
He said the union challenges Atiku to a debate on national television to prove how the retrogressive economic policy would impact positively on the masses.
Ajaero asked that of the over 60 enterprises privatised when Atiku became Chairman of the National Council on Privatisation (NCP) in 1999, how many are functioning optimally?
He cited the Osogbo Steel Rolling Mill, which, according to him, has become a glorified warehouse, and the abysmal performance of Generation Companies (GenCos) and Distribution Companies (DisCos), over eight years after privatisation.
He alleged that of the 17 out of 18 companies sold in the power sector, none is yet to break even.
He said while the Federal Government has pumped about N2 trillion as subvention to the privately owned companies, power generation had nosedived from 4000MW to 2000MW in nine years.
