Daniel Bwala: 3 PDP Chieftains Either Subtly or Plainly Supporting Tinubu
Legit.ng journalist Ridwan Adeola Yusuf has over 6-year-experience covering politics and elections in Nigeria
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FCT, Abuja - President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is just 7 months into his administration, but he already has some prominent opposition figures on his side.
On Wednesday, January 10, lawyer and spokesman to Atiku Abubakar Campaign Organisation in the 2023 presidential election, Barrister Daniel Bwala, said that he has no apology for supporting the Tinubu administration.
Source: Twitter
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) chieftain, who spoke with reporters at the State House, Abuja, after a meeting with President Tinubu, said if supporting the President would warrant his defection to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), he would do so.
Bwala lauded President Tinubu’s style of governance, saying that the recent suspension of Betta Edu as the minister of humanitarian affairs and poverty alleviation, and the reduction of the cost of governance are commendable.
Legit.ng writes on PDP chieftains who are either subtly or plainly supporting President Tinubu.
1) Daniel Bwala
Bwala is trending on X (formerly Twitter) after visiting the Presidential Villa on Wednesday, January 10, 2024, where he met with President Tinubu and pledged his total support for him.
After the meeting with Tinubu, Bwala told the States House correspondents that he came at the invitation of the President.
He said:
“I honoured the invitation of His Excellency President Bola Ahmed Tinubu who is a father to the nation, who God has given the opportunity to lead the country at this difficult time, so I came to celebrate and congratulate him.
“I also gave him my commitment that as citizens of this country, this is the time for us to throw our weight behind and support the administration."
2) Reno Omokri
Omokri has a running battle with the 'Obidients', a sobriquet for die-hard supporters of Peter Obi, the presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP) in the 2023 election.
Omokri, a diaspora-based chieftain of the PDP, and campaigner of Atiku during the 2023 election, has intermittently praised President Tinubu openly when some decisions or policies are announced.
During the Chicago University certificate saga, Omokri stood solidly with Tinubu.
He countered his party's main man, Atiku, and consistently asserted that Tinubu was a graduate of the institution as testified by the school’s registrar Caleb Westberg.
In October 2023, Omokri wrote an open letter to the PDP.
In the letter, Omokri claimed Obi “knew he could not win” the 2023 election, adding that the LP chieftain "stole away vote that would naturally have come to the PDP".
He also wrote in the letter how Tinubu outsmarted them.
3) Nyesom Wike
Nyesom Wike is the current minister of the federal capital territory (FCT). He previously served as the governor of Rivers state, from 2015 to 2023.
Before that time, he was the minister of state for education.
Although currently a member of the PDP, Wike, considered one of the most influential politicians in Nigeria at the moment, is an open supporter and key ally of President Tinubu.
The president seemingly holds Wike in high esteem. In September 2023, Tinubu said Wike is not just the FCT minister but his adviser.
Bwala gives reasons he may defect to APC
Earlier, Legit.ng reported that PDP's Bwala said if his visit to President Tinubu is interpreted as joining the APC, "so be it".
The legal practitioner said he was at the Villa "to show appreciation and support for the bold decisions he (Tinubu) is taking to deal with the crisis confronting our dear country".
Bwala's visit to Tinubu: Presidency reacts
Meanwhile, the presidency has welcomed Bwala's renewed "motivation".
A terse statement by Bayo Onanuga, the president’s special adviser on information and strategy, on his verified X handle declared that Bwala "is back to the Asiwaju (referring to President Tinubu) fold".
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Source: Legit.ng
