The Atiku Support Organisation (ASO) has dismissed the idea of a consensus candidate of northern extraction in the 2023 general election, affirming that former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar, will be contesting as a Nigerian candidate an not regional contestant.
Reacting to the news that northern elders have shortlisted a former Senate President, Dr. Bukola Saraki, and Buachi State governor, Bala Mohammed, as possible Northern Consensus candidate for the 2023 presidential election, the national publicity secretary of Atiku Support Organisation, Dr Victor Moses, stated that Nigeria at this point needed a unifier and not a divisive leader.
This is just as he affirmed that Atiku was not perturbed by the move of the northern elders.
“In the annals of our history as a nation, we have never been so divided and disunited as a people as we are today under the President Buhari-led APC government. During this critical moment in our nation’s history, we need healing and not further divisive statements, ethnic or regional chauvinism, endorsement, and or consensuship to further divide us apart.
“Right now, Nigeria desperately needs a unifier, a president for all Nigerians, and NOT one for a particular section of the country. It is important to note that the Wazirin Adamawa, His Excellency, Atiku Abubakar, GCON is contesting for the office of the President of Nigeria as a Nigerian candidate aimed at uniting and rebuilding the nation, and not as a northern or regional candidate. This informed his decision not to subject himself to any consensus arrangement guided by regional sentiment.
“Nigerians are wiser now and need a man with the capacity to fix the nation. With very strong capacity and rich credentials, we firmly believe that the PDP national delegates will no doubt support His Excellency, Atiku Abubakar to lead the party to victory in the 2023 presidential election.
“Therefore, we are not perturbed by the consensus decision of the Prof. Ango Abdullahi-led Northern Elders group because it’s inconsequential and of no political effect whatsoever. We wish to advise the duo of Sen. Bukola Saraki and Gov. Bala Mohammed to submit and subject themselves to the scrutiny and decision of the PDP’s national delegates, and not to a regional ethnic group.
“We, therefore, call on Nigerians and all the PDP national delegates to disregard such consensus arrangement, remain steadfast, and continue to rally support around Atiku Abubakar to clinch victory to rebuild and unite Nigerians as one people, one nation and one destiny,” he stated.
Credit: Leadership