Atiku Abubakar, the Peoples Democratic Party’s (PDP) presidential candidate, said yesterday that he would serve as the “stepping stone” for the region of the Southeast to produce a president.
Atiku based this on his friendships with Igbo people, such as Peter Obi of the Labour Party (LP) and Ifeanyi Okowa, his running partner.
“I am the stepping stone for an Igbo to become President of Nigeria,” he told Southeast PDP stakeholders in Enugu, Enugu State
“I’ve had a close relationship with the Igbo and this influenced my choices of Senator Ben Obi and Mr. Peter Obi as my running mates in my two previous outings as a presidential candidate. Again, I have chosen another great Igbo here (Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa) for the third time as my running mate”.
“I have three children with Igbo blood flowing in them. I am saying this for the very first time in public. So, my relationship with Ndigbo did not start today”, he pointed out.
Former vice president Atiku promised that if elected as Muhammadu Buhari’s successor the next year, he would give priority to development projects in the Southeast and other geopolitical regions of the nation.
He made fun of the All Progressives Congress (APC)-led administration for purportedly segregating various areas of the nation by lacking in projects.
“The second Niger Bridge in Onitsha is not a favour to the Southeast, rather it is or should be seen as a favour to Nigeria. This is because it is not only the people of the Southeast that will use the bridge”. Atiku said.
The potential presidential candidate also briefly discussed his conflicts with former President Olusegun Obasanjo, whom he served as his second in command, as well as the nation’s security concerns.
Additionally, he voiced alarm over sit-at-home in the Southeast, which he claimed had significantly hurt the region’s economy, and he urged Igbo elders to speak out against it.
“Restore Nigeria’s unity via equity, social justice, and cooperation,” was Atiku’s stated primary priority.
“I will also establish a strong and effective government that guarantees the safety and security of life and property.
“My administration will build a strong, resilient, and prosperous economy that creates jobs and lifts people out of poverty, “.
“I had a disagreement with my former boss (Obasanjo) because of state police and true federalism. But, we will ensure we will use state police to end the insecurity ravaging all parts of the country,” the PDP standard bearer promised.
Okowa, Atiku’s running mate, noted that, under the APC leadership, Nigeria has never been more divided and polarized.
Okowa, the current governor of Delta State, asserted that electing an astute politician like Atiku as president was the best way to address the nation’s present issues.
He urged Igbo leaders to take on the difficulties facing the Southeast with boldness, claiming that they had been too timid to do so.
Senator Chimaraoke Nnamani, whose name was on the list of the APC’s Presidential Council, was not present at the meeting, which also included Enugu State Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi and a past candidate for the presidency named Anyim Pius Anyim.
Prominent PDP stakeholders at the Enugu meeting were the new BOT Chairman, Adolphus Wabara; National Secretary Samuel Anyanwu; former governors Jim Nwobodo(old Anambra State); Achike Udenwa(Imo); Okwesilieze Nwodo(Enugu), Emeka Ihedioha(Imo), Sam Egwu(Ebonyi)’ and Theodore Orji(Abia).
Others include Abia State Deputy Governor Ude Okechukwu, who represented Governor Okezie Ikpeazu’; former Publicity Secretary of the PDP, Olisa Metu; former Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) Chairman, Onyema Ugochukwu; Senator Mao Ohuabunwa; Senator Uche Ekwunife; Senator Obinna Ogba and former Aviation Minister Osita Chidoka.
