Atiku’s return causes panic among top PDP chieftains

The newspapers form Monday, December 4 lead with Atiku Abubakar’s formal announcement of his return to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

The Punch newspaper reports that Atiku in a Facebook broadcast on Sunday, December 3, said in the last two years of President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration, three million Nigerians had lost their jobs.

The Punch newspaper for Monday, December 4, photo credit: snapshot from NAIJ.com

The former vice president stated that the APC administration had failed to implement the much needed change it promised Nigerians during its campaign.

Atiku said: “I have found in my travels across the country that the number one concern of young people is whether they will be able to get a job; for without a job they have no means of sustaining themselves or starting a family.

“Without the security of a job, we cannot have security in our country. So without jobs, there is no future for you or for Nigeria.

“And I also know as a parent that the older generation is also concerned about jobs for their children and, too often today, for themselves as well.”

Meanwhile, Vanguard reports that there is apprehension among some PDP chieftain that Atiku is already plotting to take over the structures of the party with his support for the party’s leading national chairmanship candidate, Prince Uche Secondus.

Vanguard newspaper for Monday, December 4, photo credit: snapshot from NAIJ.com

The newspaper states that Atiku’s support for Prince Secondus dates far back as 2016 when the latter was acting national chairman of the opposition party.

Vanguard gathered that there is a perception that Secondus would also be a boost for Atiku’s presidential aspirations.

“His people are everywhere promoting Secondus and also laying down structures for Atiku,” a Wadata Plaza source said.

“Atiku is a pragmatic politician who likes to sow anywhere he can reap. Yes it is true that he is supportive of Adeniran, but his people are everywhere in support of Secondus and using him to get a grip on the party leaving people like Makarfi helpless,” a source told the newspaper.

In a related report, former military president Ibrahim Babangida, some PDP founding fathers, ex-president Goodluck Jonathan and members of the Board of Trustees (BoT) may have teamed up to block the governors from influencing who emerges as the party’s chairman.

The Nation reports that four governors, including two from the southeast, may jettison the plan to make a former acting national chairman, Prince Uche Secondus, the chairman, it was learnt at the weekend.

The Nation newspaper for Monday, December 4, photo credit: snapshot from NAIJ.com

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A party source said: “We are set for a make or break convention between the old brigades, led by Gen. Babangida and Jonathan, and the governors.”

"With Gen. Babangida are founding fathers, like former Minister of Information Prof. Jerry Gana, ex-PDP national chairmen, including Sen. Ahmadu Ali, members of the BoT, ex-ministers, ex-governors and former Deputy Senate President Ibrahim Mantu.

The source, who pleaded not to be named, went on: “The hidden plan of the two groups is the battle for the 2019 presidential ticket of the PDP. So far, it is apparent that the founding fathers and Jonathan are beholding to former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar, to whom they want to give the ticket.

In other news, This Day reports that the director-general (DG) of the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), Mr. Mounir H. Gwarzo was likely suspended by the minister of finance, Kemi Adeosun over the forensic audit of the financial affairs of Oando Plc, which SEC under Gwarzo commenced two months ago.

The newspaper citing a letter from Adeosun, reported that the minister had in a meeting with the SEC boss on Monday, November 27, 2017, verbally instructed Gwarzo to discontinue the Oando probe, which he apparently objected to.