Politics
By Anthony Isibor
WITH the 2023 presidential election a few days away, Realnews takes a look at the array of endorsements and adoptions that former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar, the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, candidate, and one of the oldest political gladiators in this election has so far received.
A number of people, political leaders, political parties, various socio-cultural and political groups have expressed their support for the Atiku-Okowa’s team.
On Wednesday, February 22, the Joint Action Committee of Northern Youth Associations, threw their weight behind the former vice president as their presidential candidate in the general elections, saying he understands Nigeria more.
Addressing the press in Kaduna, Murtala Abubakar, convener of the association, said that the elections would be a watershed for all Nigerians, especially the younger generation.
According to Murtala Abubakar, Atiku understands Nigeria more than the other candidates and will have a thorough insight on how to address the country’s problems if given the mandate, especially as someone who has been in politics for long and as someone who is contesting for the third time.
Also, a report by Vanguard of Wednesday, Feb. 22 noted that supporters of President Muhammadu Buhari under the aegis of the Buhari-Yemi Osinbajo Nationwide Supporters Group have declared their support for the PDP candidate, Atiku.
The members of the group, who announced their collective decision to abandon the ruling All Progressive Congress, APC, in favour of the opposition PDP and work for the success of the Atiku-Okowa Presidential ticket, asked Nigerians for forgiveness for “blindly supporting” the party and installing an administration which has brought so much anguish.
According to Danjuma Fachiwe Gwoza, National Coordinator of the Support Group, it has a membership strength of 9,313,846.
Gwoza also noted that the victory of Atiku/Okowa is sacrosanct as Nigeria moves into the rebirth of a New Nation.
Similarly, Yakubu Dogara, Former Speaker of the House of Representatives, and other aggrieved Northern APC leaders had in December 2022 adopted Atiku for the 2023 election.
Although Dogara and other members of the group had initially distanced themselves from the endorsement, saying they were yet to conclude consultations and that their position would be made public, their position was later made known at a well-attended event in Abuja,
Those present at that meeting included Simon Achuba, the Deputy Governor of Kogi State, Dogara, Idris Wada, former governor of Kogi State, Mukhtar Shagari, former Minister for Water Resources, among others.
Achuba, while reading the report of the technical criteria committee set up by the leaders, said Atiku was adopted after due consideration of the report of the technical criteria committee set up by the leaders.
Achuba noted that the candidates evaluated were Atiku, Bola Tinubu of APC, Obi and Rabiu Kwankwaso of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP).
He said the leaders took consideration of existing structures of the party, capacity of the candidates, evidence of national penetration, religious and ethnic balance, among others, to arrive at the decision.
He said it was observed that the APC and PDP were almost at par in terms of political structure, noting that the compounding albatross on the neck of APC was the “unfortunate self-inflicted divisive same-faith-ticket, which cannot guarantee the desired peace, unity and cohesion in Nigeria, a decision that has been kicked against by Nigerians.
The report was signed by the Chairman and Secretary of the Committee and former Minority Leader of the House of Representatives, Mohammed Kumalia and Mela Nunge.
Another group under the platform of South South Ethnic Nationalities Assembly, SSENA also declared its support for Atiku and his running mate, Okowa for the forthcoming presidential election.
Favour Izoukumor, National Coordinator of SSENA, who spoke at a press conference, said the group arrived at its position after reviewing the benefits the region would gain under Atiku/Okowa’s administration if eventually elected to the topmost positions in the country.
Izoukumor also cited Atiku’s wealth of experience in both private and public sectors, as well as the fact the PDP considered the South South region in the equation of Nigerian politics by making a minority ethnic nationality, Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, the Vice President and subsequent President of Nigeria, as reasons for their support.
Also, Fulani Jonde Jam Youth Association, endorsed Atiku for the 2023 presidential election.
Alhaji Sa’idu Mai-Kano, national president of the group made the disclosure at a gathering of the Fulani Youths and Fulani Ardos across Nigeria, held at Sharna Palace Hotel in Jos late last year.
Mai-Kano disclosed that Atiku is their favourite candidate, based on his qualities that no one amongst the Fulani will oppose him.
“Today we have endorsed Atiku Abubakar. All Fulani’s in Nigeria will give him our votes. We do not want to say 100 per cent, but we will give him at least 97 per cent of our votes,” he added.
Also, the Tribuneonline reported that over 450 Civil Society Organisations, CSOs, have endorsed the presidential candidate of Atiku for this weekend’s presidential election at in Abuja.
According to the CSOs, Atiku has the experience, vision, focus and the leadership qualities to redirect the ship of Nigeria if elected president on Saturday.
Kunle Yusuff, convener of the event and Assistant Director, CSOs PDP- Presidential Campaign Council PDP-PCC, said that the CSOs decided to endorse Atiku based on his manifesto, which align with their own development agenda.
He said the endorsement could not have come at a better time few days to the presidential election with a group that boast of more than 5 million people in its workforce.
“CSOs have different roles, in education, in environment and others. In Nigeria today, we have over 40,000 CSOs registered by the Corporate Affairs Commission, CAC. All of them are performing different responsibilities with over 5 million workforce. If you now have a cluster of civil societies that are ready to endorse you as their president, you know that is a very good positive development.
“This is the same hall where in 2011 the CSOs endorsed President Goodluck Jonathan coordinated by the late Oronto Douglas and again in 2015 when they refused and we all knew what happened in 2015 when General Muhammadu Buhari became the president. Today we are happy that in the same hall few days to election, the civil societies have agreed to accept to partner with the development agenda of Atiku Abubakar’s manifesto,’’ he said.
Similarly, the Southwest chapter of the National Association of Nigerian Students, NANS, also backed Atiku’s presidency by presenting him with a certificate of endorsement during the party’s campaign in Oyo State.
Also a student group, Council of National Students Presidents of Nigeria, CNSPN, is an organisation which membership cuts across the National Association of University Students, Post-Graduate Students Association of Nigeria, National Association of Polytechnic Students and National Association of Colleges of Agriculture Students, also declared its support for the PDP presidential candidate.
Obaji Marshal, Chairman of CNSPN, said the group had examined the PDP manifesto and was convinced about their good intentions for the country.
He said, “The CNSPN has taken her time to follow all the frontline candidates closely, gone through their policy working documents (manifestos) and after keen scrutiny, the CNSPN has come to the conclusion that the manifesto of the Peoples Democratic Party, which carries the Atiku/Okowa tickets is the most reliable, realisable.”
There were also media reports that five out of the 18 political parties in Nigeria have adopted Atiku Abubakar.
The five parties, which announced their support at the grand finale of the PDP’s presidential rally held at the Mahmud Ribadu Square, in Yola, the Adamawa State capital, include Allied Peoples Movement, African Democratic Congress, National Rescue Movement, Action Alliance and Action Peoples Party.
The National Chairman of the APM, Yusuf Dantalle, who spoke on behalf of the parties, made the declaration noted that the party has adopted Atiku’s candidacy in place of Chichi Ojei, the only female presidential candidate of the APM, in the 2023 presidential race.
However, Governor Nyesome Wike of Rivers state at Ibaka Town, Okrika Island, had maintained his claim that a cabal in the presidency is backing Atiku, candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP for this month’s presidential election.
In his claim, this backing was the reason for Atiku’s confidence in the coming poll.
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Tags: APM Atiku Abubakar Danjuma Fachiwe Gwoza Mela Nunge. Mohammed Kumalia Murtala Abubakar Peoples Democratic Party Yakubu Dogara Yemi Osinbajo Yusuf Dantalle
