Atiku Abubakar, the Presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, has come under fire over his advice to Northerners ahead of the 2023 general election.
Atiku, who spoke during an Interactive Session With Arewa Joint Committee held in Kaduna, urged Northerners not to vote a Yoruba or Igbo candidate into power.
Quizzed on why northerners should vote for him, the former vice president said;
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“What the average Northerner needs is somebody who’s from the north and also understands that part of the country and has been able to build bridges across the country.
“This is what the Northerner needs, it doesn’t need a Yoruba or Igbo candidate, I stand before you as a Pan-Nigerian of northern origin.”
Reacting, Ohanaeze Ndigbo, in a statement on Sunday by its Secretary-General, Mazi Okechukwu Isiguzoro Atiku’s utterances has finished whatever was left of the PDP.
“We find it very weird and disappointing that an elder statesman and a presidential candidate, in the person of a one-time Vice Presidential candidate of Nigeria could mount the podium at a public function and play such an ethnic card.
“We are worried that at such a time Nigeria is seeking for a unifier, Atiku is further pushing the country into disintegration; he has shown that he lacks the capacity to lead and unite this country.
“His ambition has already destroyed the PDP and pushed it from number one to third if not fourth force. Now, he wants to bring the same division into the affairs of the country. We ask Nigerians to say no by rejecting him stoutly at the polls,” Ohanaeze said.
The apex Igbo group added that the G-5 Governors led by Nyesom Wike have been proved to be the true lovers of the country.
“We can see that the party has even suspended the presidential campaign after the flag-off in Uyo recently. All is not well with the team PDP.
“Nobody can trust a man who said he is a stepping stone for the actualization of the southeast presidency in the future, but within 48 hours, he offered the same Presidency to Gov. Wike. It’s absurd to see how the PDP’s Presidential team now hawks counterfeit promises.
“For the sake of equity and one Nigeria, Governor Wike’s group should sustain the Ayu Must Go campaign. We are solidly behind the G-5 Governors. Drafting David Mark, Ibori and co to pacify Wike is medicine after death. PDP is out of the 2023 contest, the battle is between Peter Obi and Bola Tinubu.”
