Northern, N’Delta Elders, Afenifere, Ohaneze, Others Endorse Atiku as Consensus Candidate
* Leaders say Atiku is capable, intelligent, physically and mentally alert person to be President
*It is loud statement of hope, says Atiku
*It will fail, says Presidency
A forum of prominent Nigerian leaders and elders drawn from all over the country has endorsed the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate for the presidential election, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar for the presidential election that comes up February 16.
The endorsement for Atiku came on the occasion of the Summit of Nigerian Leaders and Elders with the theme: ‘The Search for Credible, Free and Fair Elections,’ held in Abuja Sunday.
Among those who graced the occasion were Chairman of the Northern Elders Forum (NEF), Prof. Ango Abdullahi; Leader of Pan-Niger Delta Forum (PANDEF), Chief Edwin Clarke; Leader of Afenifere, Chief Ayo Adebanjo; President of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Chief John Nwodo; and President of Middle Belt Forum (MBF), Dr. Bitrus Pogu.
In a communiqué issued and at the end of the summit by the spokesmen of Afenifere, Mr. Yinka Odumakin, the PDP candidate, Atiku, was adopted because he has “demonstrated the deep understanding of the critical needs of the country at this time and possesses the capacity to proffer clear solutions in that respect”.
The leaders called on Nigerians irrespective of religious or ethnic affiliations to vote for Atiku on Saturday, February 16.
The communiqué added that Atiku “is also capable, intelligent, physically and mentally alert person that will once more restore Nigerian international standing and respect.”
“Having closely followed the competition for mandates within the various political parties as well as the campaigns for the votes of Nigerians so far, including four weeks of close interactions and interviews with nearly all the aspirants for the position of the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria in the various parties, we make the following observations.
“The forthcoming elections are vital to our desire to live together in a democratic nation that reflects our aspirations, of peaceful co-existence, mutual respect, practice of true federalism.
“There is solid national and international consensus that the 2019 elections must be credible and improve on the quality of the 2019 elections;
“There is assurance from INEC of its willingness and ability to conduct free and fair elections, but it must be watched very closely and supported to set new, higher standards in election management and that undue pressure from any quarters does not truncate its efforts.
“Civil society in Nigeria and the international community have made commendable contributions towards improving the integrity and security of the ballot. It is vital that they continue to play the roles of informed vigilantes and partners in our nation’s search for deeper roots for our democratic traditions.
“The media need to do more to meet the expectations of Nigerians in terms of objectivity and capacities to set agendas and exercise effective oversight over all matters related to the forthcoming elections. The Nigerian media has a rich history of rising to the occasion when the country faces the kind of situation we are in today.
“These last few days before the first set of elections will test the federal government’s undertaking and assurances to protect Nigerians as they prepare to participate in the elections, as well as create a level playing field for all parties and candidates.”
In his reaction, Atiku Abubakar said the endorsement by the groups was a loud statement of hope.
He said, “I am moved to tears that in the midst of deep divisions and deliberate use of instrumentalities of state to set our people against themselves in the last three and a half years, responsible and respected leaders across Nigeria have agreed to come together for the purpose of endorsing my candidature for the February 16, 2019 presidential elections.
“The endorsement by the leading lights of our nationalities – Afenifere, Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Northern Elders Forum, Pan-Niger Delta Forum and Middle Belt Forum is a loud statement that there is hope for our country as we go to the polls in a few days.
“Today, we put aside all our prejudices to elect a president with religion and ethnicity playing no role in our elections. I profusely thank our leaders across the country who have created this wonderful moment for us to come to the table of brotherhood. Once again, and in the words of our old National Anthem, we can proudly sing: Though tribes and tongues may differ, in brotherhood we stand.”
“Many countries of the world have been led into disintegration by strongmen (one in each country) and we have seen how individuals who understand the management of diversities have rallied their people for unity. I have been chosen to unite our people and exactly that I will.
“We will promote an inclusive Nigeria based on productivity that every section of Nigeria will bring out the best under their soil, and in their brain to make Nigeria assume its position in Africa and the global community. It would be 100 per cent for every section of Nigeria as I would not understand any arithmetic outside that.
“I enjoin our people across Nigeria to come out en-mass to vote on February 16 to pull our country from the brink and propel it to greater heights so we can live a better life. Take my words as a covenant with Nigeria.”
In reaction to the endorsement, the Presidency described it as a gang up, saying it will not work.
In a statement, the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Malam Garba Shehu, said the PDP was hiding under the cloak of ethnicity to avoid defeat in the election.
The statement reads: “The PDP is hiding in the bunker of ethnicity to avoid their inevitable defeat but that won’t change anything. The current scenario resembles efforts to stop Buhari in 2015 by the same characters. It is an effort to repeat the old experiment that failed in 2015.
“They failed to stop him from coming to power in 2015 and they will fail yet again on February 16. If all these groups are ganging up against one person, that is President Buhari, it tells you who is the formidable candidate in the election. This gang up they forged, one more time will change nothing. It is for the people to decide.”
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