Jonathan- Atiku Rivalry Complicates Senator Folarin's Case
Upcoming PDP Presidential primary is daily becoming a high stake battle between the two front runners-President Jonathan and former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar and in this political chess game both sides are employing every means necessary to gain the upper hand. Reliable sources revealed that the Ibadan fracas involving followers of Governor Akala and Senator Teslim Folarin is already being exploited, especially by the Atiku group. From emerging details show that the two contending camps are willing to employ every tactics, use any person, or exploit any incident to achieve their ambition.
Flowing from the recent Ibadan incident information from a high level source in Abuja indicate that the Atiku camp may gain enormous political mileage out of the incident by a quick deft political move which the presidency may have fallen for. The source revealed that as soon as it became known that the Senate Leader Senator Folarin was a person of interest in the murder of Eleweomo the factional leader of NURTW, the Atiku machinery swung into action. They exploited the existing relationship between their candidate Atiku Abubakar and the Inspector General of Police IGP Hafiz Ringim. According to the source, 'as soon as the Senate Leader reported to the Police, the Atiku camp immediately called the IGP in solidarity with the Senate Leader as if playing out a well scripted plan to throw the weight of their support behind him. In the process creating the impression that Senator Folarin is one of their own who must be saved to work for the group in Oyo State'. In the meanwhile, Senate Folarin, unaware of the grad design to use him as a pawn went ahead to voluntarily report to the Oyo State Police Command like every other citizen should do totally oblivious that the contending parties are trying hard to make political capital out of his present political travail.
Further investigations reveal that worried by the speed and pressure from Atiku and his camp, the IGP mindful that his personal relationship with Atiku over the years is an open secret, went ahead in a display of transparency to inform the presidency about the unusual pressure the Atiku camp were mounting in support of Senator Folarin. The Presidency and the Jonathan camp in a rare display of political paucity fell for the well laid out booby trap by the Atiku camp. The President and his camp are said to be lukewarm about Senator Folarin because of the suspicion of loyalty generated by the speed and interest shown by the Atiku camp in his travail. This hasty political judgment is said to have further alienated the members of the Federal Legislature who constitute the largest block of delegates' votes at the forthcoming primaries. The legislators are said to be unhappy before now about the hijacking of the state executives of the party by the PDP governors resulting in many of them losing their party tickets in the concluded primaries for the House of Representatives. The legislators are also unhappy with the presidency for not standing with them despite their support for the emergence of the Jonathan presidency.
It has been further revealed that Jonathan's camp said the group was peeved by the fact that the Senate Leader who had access to the president and the IGP seem to have reached out to the Atiku camp instead. However a member of the group who does not want to be named stated that in these last days of frayed nerves judgments are bound to be flawed and that he has pointed it out to the camp that the Atiku group may have out played them with their hasty reaction and judgment on this matter because there is no evidence or indication that Senator Folarin sought Atiku's support. This line of thinking is rational because as Senate Leader the Deputy Senate President and the Senate President are Folarin's immediate bosses whom he could call should that have been necessary. He further stated that he suspects that Atiku camp jumped on the opportunity to deal a deft blow to the seemingly impenetrable Goodluck's goodwill in Oyo where the two contending forces Alao Akala and Senator Folarin were hitherto rooting for President Goodluck Jonathan. With Agodi prison turned into a Mecca by Senator Folarin's detention the PDP and the Jonathan's camp may be risking strengthening the opposition in the handling of this matter. In politics extreme political tactics could at times yield the wrong results. Senator Folarin despite being detained might be crucial in determining the future of PDP in Oyo State.
Our source informs us that meanwhile the Atiku camp are happy with the dividends of their deft stroke and are poised to take advantage of such opportunities at other times. Who gets the votes of the Federal Legislators may depend on how this plays out particularly how the presidency quickly reacts to salvage one of their own. In these last days every move counts.
Exclusive. Akin Daniels. Abuja