A floodgate of endorsement has opened for the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar, as leaders of major socio-political blocs in the country validate him.
The groups include the Pan Niger Delta Elders Forum, Afenifere, Ohanaeze Ndigbo, the Middle Belt Forum and the Northern Elders Forum.
The leaders of the groups with influence in the six regional zones of the country said Mr. Abubakar is their consensus candidate for the 2019 presidential election.
Under the platform of the Summit of Nigerian Leaders and Elders, with the theme, “Elections: The Search for Credible, Free and Fair Elections,” the group said the former vice president is eminently qualified to lead the nation.
Those who spoke at the summit were Ayo Adebanjo, Nnia Nwodo, Ango Abdullahi, Chief Edwin Clark, Tanko Yakassai and Bitrus Pogu
Speaking for the Igbo nation, the President-General, Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Chief Nwodo said the nation is facing a momentous election that would determine the growth trajectory of the country in the next four years.
He lamented that President Buhari has widened the country’s ethnic cleavages thereby jeopardizing national security, citing the banditry in parts of Katsina, Zamfara, Sokoto and the insurgency in Borno State.
He said Nigeria is at the edge of the precipice and defended the endorsement of Mr. Abubakar because of his ability to show how he would carry out the restructuring of the country.
“Though APC set up a committee on restructuring chaired by Kaduna state Governor which presented their recommendations on power devolution, crude oil exploration and other great ideas, nothing has been heard about it till today,” he said.
“There was no bill to the National Assembly to commence the process of restructuring the country. In this order, only Atiku, Bukola Saraki, Donald Duke and Kingsley Moghalu presented how they would implement their restructuring agenda. So, Ohanaeze has chosen Atiku Abubakar as its candidate.”
On his part, the leader of Afenifere, Chief Adebanjo said the summit was only concerned about the unity of the country, arguing that the PDP Presidential candidate believed in restructuring the country.
He said, “A vote for Atiku is a vote for national unity. Those of you who know us in Afenifere knew that we don’t follow people blindly; Atiku believes in restructuring and he has delivered papers on it.”
READ ALSO: Ogun polls: Obasanjo holds ‘fruitful’ meeting with party chieftains, security officials
Mr Abdullabi of the NEF said his association had earlier announced that it would not support any northern politician that failed to perform in office, hence their opposition to Mr. Buhari whose election he said they endorsed and worked for in 2015.
He said the forum presented a document on governance to the President shortly after he came to power, noting that the government jettisoned the blueprint.
Mr. Abdullahi said he interviewed all the presidential candidates and came to the conclusion that Mr. Abubakar was the suitable choice.
“Based on our assessment, it was very clear the country requires a new leadership and that is why the Northern Elders Forum agreed that that leader is Atiku Abubakar,” he said.
