Umar Calculate exposes the grand conspiracy behind PDP’s defeat in Edo
• Absolves Tinubu, APC; fingers Wike, Fintiri, Damagum as arrow heads
A close associate of former vice president Atiku Abubakar and a renowned grass root politician in Adamawa, Umar Bello Jada aka Calculate has in a no hold barred manner exposes the grand conspiracy behind the electoral misfortunes of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in the just concluded governorship election in Edo State. He alluded that the defeat of the ruling party in Edo State was not contrived by the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), security agencies or the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) noting that some high ranking moles within the party clandestinely sold it out and ensured its defeat.
In this explosive interview, Calculate meticulously unveiled the characters, the power interplay and the maneuvers leading to the electoral spectacle. Excerpts:
It is insinuated that the defeat of the PDP in the recent Edo governorship polls was the handiwork of the ruling APC in its move to make Nigeria a one party state, what is your take?
Jada: Only a rookie and undiscerning mind will blame Tinubu, APC, INEC or the security forces for the electoral misfortunes of PDP in the just concluded election in Edo State. The party’s misfortunes was orchestrated, perfected and executed by some party honchos with active support of their foot soldiers to ensure the party was slayed an interned in the election so as to satisfy their selfish and whimsical desires.
These goons contrived a well scripted plan to ensure that the party was defeated without attracting a nuance of suspicion from the party faithfuls. The plan was executed in such a manner that even the true and loyal PDP men were deceived into believing that the defeat was orchestrated by the ruling party.
Let me be more blunt here, the misfortunes of the PDP was contrived by the national secretariat of the party which ensured that only elements opposed to the progress of the party were selected to superintend the election so that it will be defeated without anyone pointing accusing fingers inwards. These dark forces have successfully executed their nefarious acts.
Governor Obaseki who is a loyal party man has tried his best to ensure the victory of the party, but those selected goons from Abuja frustrated him and the governorship candidate and traded the mandate which the good people willingly gave to PDP to the opposition party. Let me be frank with you, the participation of PDP in the election is a huge travesty to electoral democracy because in principle, the party participated in the election but in reality, the party didn’t participate because those who took charge of the process have sold out the party and the mandate to the opposition party.
Obaseki in his determination to ensure the victory of PDP has made sure a competent person emerged as the party’s torchbearer, and with the deliberate and artificial hardship, poverty and hunger manufactured by the APC government, which made Edo State the epicenter of #Endbadgovernace protest in the South South, no one will expect victory for APC in the state. It is worthy of noted to state that in Benin, a litre of petrol sells for about N1,600 with the litany of woes directly staring at the people, no one need to be told that the defeat of APC in the state was a settled matter but these unpatriotic elements for personal gains frittered away the fortunes of the party and handed the state over to the opposition party.
Is what you are saying not a mere speculation in view of how the PDP vigorously campaigned for its candidate and the anger the party showed when INEC announced APC as winner of the polls?
It is pertinent for the people to understand that the root cause of the sabotage lies in the long standing political animosity between former governor Nyesom Wike and governor Obaseki. It is an open secret that Obaseki was one of the PDP leaders who did not subscribe to the presidential ambition of governor Wike in the lead to the 2023 general election. It was an open secret that Obaseki supported Atiku Abubakar because in his assessment, Atiku is more competent than Wike, during the party primaries, Obaseki ensured that the Edo State delegates wholly backed Atiku to emerge victorious in the election. It is also important to recall that during the presidential election, Wike has put a lot of pressure on Obaseki not to support Atiku to no avail. So this election provided Wike the singular opportunity to settle scores with Obaseki hence the open animosity. It is also important to recall that during one of his interviews with Channels TV, Wike openly said he will not support the PDP governorship candidate of Edo State.
In order to settle scores, Wike commandeer the national chairman who is his known puppet to use his position to sabotage the party and it’s candidate, any security personnel or INEC official who participated in any electoral heist did it with the active support and imprimatur of Wike. Wike has over the years turned PDP to his personal estate and he administer it with total disregard for the rule of law. That is why he singlehandedly produced the list of those who will superintend the Edo election despite their rejection my the majority of party members. The list he gave was endorsed by the national secretariat against all odds. He ensured that independent minded people like Bala Mohammed and the governor of Bayelsa State were schemed out and ensured that his lackey, the governor of Adamawa State led the campaign council. As I said, when they went to conduct the election, Fintiri and the national chairman sidelined governor Obaseki and the PDP candidate.
Are you trying to insinuate that governor Fintiri and the national chairman of PDP did the bidding of Wike to ensure defeat of their party despite their apparent commitment to the success of the party?
Let me tell you, Wike was not appointed minister of FCT for nothing. FCT is the gold mine of Nigeria especially considering the fact that he can use his position to empower people including governors. He has been using that vantage position to ensure his wishes whether positive or negative are obeyed and implemented to the latter. And you know the primitive lust of our people towards material things. He is taking advantage of his position to recruit vicious and willing followers who are ready to go to the extent of sacrificing the party for selfish gains. So forget any patriotic claim they made for the party, it is a ruse to deceive the gullible members of the public.
Are you saying the dogged stance of Fintiri to fight the alleged injustice meted on the party is a ruse considering how he stoutly stood in defence of the candidate of PDP?
I told you Fintiri scammed the PDP into believing that he is astutely working for it. The patriotic fervor he showed was an alibi to hoodwink the party into believing that he was a true patriot and that is where the parody ends. His actions in announcing the PDP as the winner is a huge travesty. If there was no conspiracy how did the federal government, INEC, security operatives and even the opposition political party kept mum in the face of the rash and imperious action of the governor? The pin drop silence in the face of that gross malpractice is a pointer to the grand conspiracy.
Let me recall that when the Adamawa REC in 2023 general election announced Binani as the winner of the polls against the rule of play, all stakeholders including the presidency, INEC, and even security operatives condemned his actions in strong terms. Do you think the silence of the establishment in the face of that blatant malpractice was not by design? It is because they are all in the loop. Whether we like it or not Wike is in total control of PDP and he is being supported by two serving governors. Wike will be in control of affairs in PDP for a long time to come because he enjoys the protection of the president who is the major beneficiary of his disruptive behavior.
What Wike is doing now is to weaken PDP or kill it so that Tinubu’s 2027 project will sail easily and after Tinubu has finished his two terms, Wike and his ilk will revive it and use it as vehicle to grab power. The postulation is that by that time Atiku has become too old to stand in their way and they think with the huge resources they are amassing, no force on earth can prevent them from ruling Nigeria at all cost.
Despite supporting him in 2023 general election, recently Adamawa State governor seems to be taking actions that are at variance with the political interest of Atiku. Are those actions geared towards the 2027 presidential election?
If you look at the scenario very well, you will understand that they are trying to decimate Atiku’s political influence in support of Tinubu. That is why the PDP leadership deemed it fit to adopt double standards in their dealings with party chieftains. For instance, the national chairman of the party decided to recognize Wike as leader of PDP in Rivers State despite the fact that the sitting governor is also a member of PDP. But the same national chairman refused to recognize Atiku Abubakar as the leader of PDP in Adamawa despite the fact that he was a former vice president of Nigeria.
If we are to compare happenings in the build up to the 2023 governorship elections in the two states we would come to the conclusion that Atiku deserves leadership of PDP in Adamawa as he single handedly gave over 80 percent contribution to the victory of Fintiri. I’m not saying that Fintiri came into the election as Atiku’s political factotum. No, but despite coming into the race as an accomplished politician, Atiku contributed over 80 percent towards his victory. It is apt to recall how Atiku stood stoutly behind Fintiri and personally called Buhari, INEC chairman SGF, Boss Mustapha and security Chiefs to ensure that the victory of Fintiri was asserted but yet he is being disrespected by the governor, even though Atiku did not make any effort to hijack the government from Fintiri. In the same manner, Fubara came into the governorship election as an accomplished person and was also greatly assisted by Wike but we all know how Wike tried to hijack the state from Fubara but yet PDP asserts him as the leader of the party.
To spite Atiku further, in the last local government election in the state, Fintiri made sure that no Atiku loyalist emerged as the candidate of the party across the 21 LGs and 226 wards. Only two Atiku’s loyalists won councillorship tickets in Jada LG but because of the animosity of Fintiri towards him, the two loyalists were disqualified and frustrated.
With happenings in the political party, how will you asses the political future of governor Fintiri?
The political future of governor Fintiri is going to be shaped by his actions. And his actions constitute betrayals, failed promises and double standards. This is a man who felt no qualms to betray Atiku despite how Atiku stoutly stood behind him like a father, he has also promised to make Bindow his successor and based on that Bindow invested his energy and time to assist Fintiri but I can assure you that promise has gone down the drain. In the same manner he has made similar promises to many individuals. As we all know Adamawa State will only have one Governor at a time. 2027 governorship election will be very interesting.
Fintiri’s future in politics will also be doomed to the extent he can’t win any election at the state or federal level because of the massive disaffection he has caused. He can’t contest the senatorial position as people like Binta Masi Garba, Sen. Elisha Abbo and Hamidu Medugu will surely give him a run for his money and he can’t make any impact either at the presidential race. In fact it will be difficult for Fintiri to produce a successor because Wike will connive with Fintiri’s enemies to produce an APC governor in order to sabotage Atiku.
