The Peoples Democratic Party’s presidential candidate, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, has vowed to repay the Northern Elders Consultative Forum for its faith in him after receiving their support on Friday.
The group, which included well-known figures like former House Speaker, Yakubu Dogara and former Kogi state governor, Capt. Idris Wada, endorsed Atiku’s candidacy, claiming that the All Progressives Congress, APC, ticket of unity was a disaster waiting to happen for a country that had endured years of unimaginable hardship and division.
Atiku promised the group and the entire populace that he would create inclusive leadership that would give every Nigerian a sense of belonging in a statement signed by Spokesperson for the PDP Presidential Campaign Management Committee, Senator Dino Melaye.
The statement read, “The Presidential Campaign Management Committee of the People’s Democratic Party is excited, grateful and pleased to receive the well processed and justified endorsement of His Excellency, Atiku Abubakar as the most inclusive and best prepared Presidential Candidate in the 2023 presidential election.
“The endorsement has come as an elixir for the People’s Democratic Party and its candidate, because it attests to the broadness, equalization and nationalistic composition of our party and its flag bearer. We have come to a stage in our national evolution, where attention should be devoted to what binds us together and not what breaks us. The promise, record and actions of Atiku Abubakar speak to this objective, and this is what he will pursue as the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
“It is also significant that the Northern Christian leaders reckoned with the cognate experience of Atiku Abubakar as the former Vice President, who operated at that level of governance and was outstanding as a reformer, a talent hunter and a broad-minded leader, whose office was a microcosm of the different shades of nationalities within the Nigerian state. Atiku, whom we fondly and justifiably call the unifier has over the years, maintained friendship with thousands of Nigerians irrespective of their age, gender, faith or geographical location.
“We note with deep gratitude and satisfaction the observation that Atiku has a well-articulated agenda. Without being immodest, the presidential candidate of the PDP has always armed himself with SMART goals. His vision is clear and the mission is grounded. With his foresight he had long expressed the plan on how to manage Nigeria’s oil sector. Those who waved off his plan have come to appreciate his knack for solutions. Atiku remains the most experienced, most prepared and most acceptable candidate for the 2023 election.
“Atiku will not only lead Nigeria out of the current economic, political and security crisis, he will give all Nigerians a sense of belonging, mend the fault lines and repair the broken confidence and social structures.
“We call on all Nigerians to give Atiku Abubakar the opportunity to take Nigeria to where it ought to be in the years.”
