..Says Atiku can’t ensure victory for party
By Folorunso Alagbede, Abuja
Ahead of the presidential election coming up in 2023, a group within the People’s Democratic Party, ‘The PDP Action 2023’ has harped on the need for the party to begin the search for an acceptable presidential candidate that projects incorruptibility, honesty, simplicity, capacity, accessibility and ability to govern.
The PDP Action 2023 specifically warned the leading opposition party not to give its presidential candidate in the 2019 general election and former Vice President, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar another chance as its flag bearer to avoid a clear defeat in the next election.
The group said this in a statement yesterday by its Chairman, Hon. (Dr.) Rufus Omeire in Abuja.
It insisted strongly that the PDP needs a presidential candidate who will unite Nigeria, solve the security challenges, restore peace in the land, take the country to greater economic heights and will not abandon the masses.
Nigerians, the group maintained, are waiting and looking up to PDP ahead of the 2023 general election, stressing therefore that the party and its leaders must shine their eyes, this time around, to ensure victory at the pools.
“The PDP Action 2023 will help ensure that this happens”, Omeire said in the statement.
The statement reads, “The PDP Action 2023 warns, once again, that to give Alh Atiku Abubakar another chance as PDP Presidential Candidate is to ensure a clear defeat for PDP in 2023, and admonishes the former Vice-President of Nigeria not to deceive PDP members a second time.
“In our last press statement, we frowned at Alh. Atiku for abandoning PDP members by running away to live in Dubai, after the elections, shielding himself from PDP members, only for him to re-surface now that the Presidential primaries are at hand.
“In his response, we are surprised Alh. Atiku claimed that his absence from Nigeria for so long was to acquire a Degree from Cambridge University.
“On the contrary, the entire country is aware that he relocated to Dubai, where he even had his highly advertised COVID Vaccination even before the vaccine was available to ordinary Nigerians.
“It is disingenuous for Atiku to claim that he was in school in Cambridge, London when he actually lived in Dubai.
“If he enrolled in University of Cambridge, for a part time course, he could have as well done the programme from Nigeria. He should come clean with the truth, apologise to PDP faithful for letting them down and step aside.
“He will be better playing a role as elder statesmen as we earlier suggested.
“What is more, he is on record to have boasted during the 2018 Presidential primaries, that he was the only candidate with the financial muscle and otherwise, to face President Buhari and defeat him.
“Alas, he wasted the ticket of PDP. He mismanaged and dashed the trust, hopes and votes of PDP members and Nigerians.
“He lost in all the North West States, lost in 4 of the 6 North East States where he hails from, lost in virtually all the South-West and North Central States and managed to eke out a slim victory in South East and South South States. In fact he won in his home state of Adamawa with only 32,000 votes!.
“It is not the culture in the North and Nigerians to vote for very wealthy business men to lead. Examples abound. Sir Ahmadu Bello, Alh. Tafawa Balewa, Shehu Shagari and Umaru Musa Yar’adua, Olusegun Obasanjo. These are not men of financial wealth.
“They are simple, honest and decent Nigerians who deserved the support of Northerners and Nigerians, with the singular exception of Buhari who, though, not a man of wealth, is however, a basket case as a President.
“In summary, for Atiku, it is time to quit the stage. It is time for PDP to begin the search for another acceptable candidate. A candidate that projects incorruptibility, honesty, simplicity, capacity, accessibility and ability to govern.
“A candidate that will not abandon the masses. A candidate that will unite Nigeria, solve the security challenges, restore peace in the land and take the country to greater economic heights.
“Nigerians are waiting and looking up to PDP. Bottom line, PDP must shine their eyes this time around to ensure victory at the pools. PDP Action 2023 will help ensure that this happens”, the group said.
