2023: Fani-Kayode, Gbenga Daniel, Orubebe, other Double-Faced campaigners

Like a weathercock, many Nigerian politicians have gained notoriety for changing their stands most especially in every political season. Perhaps, this explains why it’s often said that the Nigerian political class lacks ideology.

To them – politics is all about permanent interest. This report unveiled some doubled-faced politicians as campaigns for 2023 gather momentum.

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FEMI FANI-KAYODE

No doubt, FFK ranks high on the list of double-faced politicians. He also is one the politicians whose past comments have been haunting them.

In 2014 as a member of APC, FFK said the “biggest mistake that my party, the APC, can make is to field a Muslim/Muslim ticket in the 2015 presidential election. If we do that, we will not only offend the Christian community but we will also lose the election woefully.” The former Minister left the party and joined the PDP.

In 2015, Fani-Kayode was appointed the Director of Media and Publicity at Jonathan/Sambo Presidential Campaign Organisation, a position where he transmitted to praising Jonathan. He also said he “renounced those views about President Jonathan long ago.”

Upon joining PDP, FFK tagged APC a party with “Janjaweed ideology” and “Boko Haramite party.” He also launched attacks on Buhari severally and when the president was sick in 2018, FFK was at the forefront of the “Buhari is dead campaign.”

However, FFK’s recent return to APC struck many due to the past statements by the former Aviation Minister. He also made a U-turn on Muslim-Muslim ticket which he had rejected in 2014.

While appearing on Politics Today, a programme of Channels Television, FFK defended the APC Muslim/Muslim ticket and his stance on the matter.

“We spoke about Fulanisation, that has been thrown out of the window now because power has been shifted to the South by the APC, the party we accused of that. Secondly, we spoke about Islamisation. Since I joined APC, I realised that, like I said earlier, things have completely changed.

“A situation whereby in this country today we have, no less than 20 Christian governors. The whole of the South-west has Christian governors, except for Osun state, which has now changed because we have a Christian governor who is coming in.

“A situation like that tells you clearly that the country cannot be Islamised and neither is our party APC interested in that. What is happening as far as I am concerned is this, we have reformed and moving forward,” he said while defending Muslim-Muslim ticket.

FFK said he is supporting Tinubu because of the need for a power shift to the South. However, FFK had supported Kogi State Governor, Yahaya Bello, who lost to Tinubu during the APC presidential primary.

GBENGA DANIEL

The two-time former Governor of Ogun State was Atiku’s campaign Director General in the buildup to the 2019 presidential election. He toured the 36 states alongside Atiku seeking the support of the PDP delegates for the presidential primaries which Atiku later won landslide in Port Harcourt.

After the primary, Daniel popularly called OGD by his supporters took the back seat as former Senate President Bukola Saraki headed the campaign council. And shortly after Atiku lost the election, Daniel wrote the party that he had resigned from the party and quit party politics to pursue other “vocations.”

“I have resolved to immerse myself in some other vocations and take on some new challenges,” he said in a letter dated March 14, 2019.

Few weeks after, Daniel asked his supporters to vote APC’s Dapo Abiodun during the 2019 governorship poll.

In the usual character of Nigerian politician, OGD has returned to “active and partisan politics” by pitching his tent with APC. He now backs Tinubu for President.

Last Sunday in Sagamu at a rally for his Senatorial ambition, Daniel said he is supporting Tinubu because he is “our own.”

In 2011, Otunba Gbenga Daniel was the Southwest Coordinator of Jonathan/Sambo Presidential Campaign which returned the President in almost a landslide victory in the region.

ABDULMUMIN JIBRIN

The former member of the House of Representatives was the Director General of the Bola Tinubu Campaign Organization before he suddenly left the APC in May due to the crisis in Kano APC. He joined the New Nigeria Peoples Party, NNPP, and now roots for the party’s candidate, Rabiu Kwankwaso. He had previously campaigned for President Muhammadu Buhari.

Jibrin said he left the APC “to take the needed measure to ensure that I survive an onslaught by a vengeful man who abuses the privileges of his distinguished office to frustrate my career and the career of many others”.

He also said he would no longer be involved with the presidential campaign of Tinubu because he has moved to the New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP).

In a statement, the former member of the houses of reps said even away from home, “the vengeful man” came for his role in Asiwaju’s campaign and pressed hard to replace him.

“Asiwaju (Bola Tinubu) did his best to intervene to prevent my exit from the party. Not because it would affect his campaign in any way but for the genuine likeness he has for me. Unfortunately, wherever this man after my career functions, I feel a sense of obligation to flee for my political safety,” he said.

GODSDAY ORUBEBE

His inglorious disruption of the collation centre during the tension-soaked 2015 presidential election comes to mind each time Orubebe’s name is mentioned. Not many remember that he was Niger Delta Affairs Minister.

Orubebe was the agent to PDP in the election which saw then sitting President Goodluck Jonathan lose to Buhari. While collation was in progress, Orubebe suddenly grabbed a microphone, disrupted the process, calling for the stoppage of the presentation of the results.

He alleged that the (former) INEC chairman, Attahiru Jega had compromised and taken sides with the APC. He claimed Jega chairman did not respond to petitions submitted to his office about Jigawa, Kano and Katsina states while he sent a committee to Rivers State to probe the incidents there during the presidential and national assembly elections held last Saturday.

While saying that the party had lost confidence in the INEC Chairman, Orubebe accused him of bias and colluding with APC to announce “fake result”.

He has now joined APC, campaigning for Tinubu.

Recently Orubebe recalled that when aspired to be Delta State governor in 2015, he sent a team to understudy the Lagos model of development under Tinubu for “three good months.”

His words: “ I have followed the track records of APC presidential candidate Bola Tinubu. It has been a record full of stellar accomplishments. Bola Tinubu laid the foundation.

“If Nigerians want a thriving and robust economy, then we must cast our votes for Tinubu. A man who has done it before with Lagos State.”

DOYIN OKUPE

The 70 year old former presidential spokesman strongly backed Atiku and predicted his victory against Buhari in 2019.

In one of his predictions, Okupe in a post said Atiku will poll 70% votes in North East and North Central states of Nigeria to defeat Buhari in 2019.

Following his predictions, he noted that there was no possibility of Buhari defeating Atiku.

His tweet read: “What Atiku may score in 2019.Win North East.70%. Win North-Central 70%.

“Lose in NW & score: 30-35%. Win South-East 65-70% (higher wt SE VP) Win South-South: 60 -65%. South West 50:50.

“From above projections, a Buhari victory in 2019 is an electoral impossibility.”

Okupe is now the Director General of the Labour Party, Peter Obi’s campaign. He has another prediction – Obi will win.

“Many who deride and mock us that we have no structure will weep and gnash their teeth when Obi is elected President in 2023,” he said. Will he get his prediction right this time around? Time will tell.