Saraki’s Presidential Project Suffers Setback In C-River

• PDP State chapter ‘chases’ journalists from event venue

BY UBON EKANEM, CALABAR – The Presidential project of former Senate President, Dr Bukola Saraki ran into troubled waters in Cross River as the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) leadership in the state ordered journalists to vacate the venue where Saraki Campaign Organisation had arranged to host the party’s stakeholders.

The embarrassing incident that impaired the gathering, planned as a reception party for the Kwara State-born politician to engage PDP delegates and stalwarts in the South-South state on his presidential aspiration, took place at the popular Transcorp Hotel in Calabar, the State capital.

Guests and media men had thronged the venue, now popular for hosting all the PDP’s presidential hopefuls’ visits to the state, to await the August visitor’s arrival when the ugly drama suddenly played out.

To the amazement of many, an announcement blared from the Loudspeakers with the Master of Ceremony, a popular comedian in the state known as ‘The Last Prophet’ requesting all journalists to vacate their seats for delegates and excuse themselves from the hall.

Taunting the media men further, ‘The Last Prophet’ said the event was a ‘no no’ for them and they should rather step aside to await the ‘small offering’ the opposition party was willing to appreciate them with after the event.

Clearly incurring the media’s wrath for his queer joke on the day, the humorist quickly retreated from his misstep, explaining that he was merely acting on instructions from the PDP Chapter leadership and should therefore not be scapegoated.

As if the day was primed for hitches within the Saraki’s camp and their supporters, the event suffered another hiccup as information later filtered in that the former Kwara State Governor would no longer make the trip to Calabar due to bad weather.

The news proved a huge disappointment for the PDP delegates and stakeholders as well as journalists who were eagerly awaiting to take on the hitherto ‘strongman of Kwara politics’ for obviously different reasons.

However, inside sources, who insisted on discountenancing the ‘bad weather excuse’, hinted that given the information at their disposal, the State leadership of PDP may have shot themselves in the foot by publicly pledging their unwavering loyalty to Governor Nyesom Wike’s presidential ambition when he stormed the State earlier this month.

The Rivers State Chief Executive has been touted as the major financier of the Cross River PDP chapter following the defection of Governor Ben Ayade to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) on May 20, 2021

According to our insider, the so-called preparations for Senator Saraki’s visit paled into insignificance when compared to the elaborate arrangements and eventual reception the party accorded Governor Wike’s campaign train in Calabar.