2023: Dokpesi writes off south, supports northern candidate

Raymond Dokpesi is a PDP presidential wannabe who did woefully in the party primary in 2019, making his view about the presidency in 2023 colored with personal feeling and experience.

But he said he says things as they are.

“I don’t beat around the bush; I treat issues as they are and as I understand them<’he told the Daily Trust in an exclusive interview.

And his take about the presidential election and where the cat may jump is slap-bang.

“The South East cannot win the election for the PDP. There is no candidate from the South East,” he said.

“I dare say there is no candidate from the South that you put in the North today that will be able to win. It is going to be a humongous challenge.”

Dokpesi however said for fairness’ sake, a united Nigeria should consider gifting the topmost job to the southeast—supposing the PDP zone it to the south.

Right I the same breath, the media tycoon backtracked again, and he said he was being scientific—when the newspaper sounded him back again—that he meant the PDP should shop for its candidate in the north.

According to him, former President Olusegun Obasanjo had a full eight years as a southern candidate, and he was succeeded by Umar Yar’adua, a northern candidate.

“Yar’ adua used two and half years during his tenure and the remaining of his tenure was used by Jonathan, who did another four years, making a total of six years for Jonathan,” he said.

“And since then, we have not had a candidate from the north. So, the north is still in deficit of the presidency if we are to look at it.”

The Edo PDP chieftain simply echoed the argument of the power mongers in the north who insist the north should have a term more, based o a similar permutation.

“Some people decided to be abstract,” said Dokpesi, “but I am a scientist that is why I have taken it how it is.”

For now Dokpesi’s observation apparently rings true.

The southeast ha yet to get hi act together up till ow, and no candidate of national clout has indicated any interest.

As for the north, a candidate standing out former Voce President  Atiku Abubakar, who many believe, has perfected plans to run again, after losing in the 2019 race.

Atiku has yet to declare intention, though.