As a result of his prior remark regarding what the majority of northerners in the 2023 general elections want, Atiku Abubakar, the PDP’s presidential nominee, has been branded as desperate by the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
The APC said in a statement released to the media on Sunday through its national publicity secretary, Barr. Felix Morka, that the former vice president would prefer to divide the nation than to bring it together as he has claimed in several statements.
Atiku stated that “the average Northerner wants someone who is from the North; he doesn’t need a Yoruba candidate or an Ibo candidate” during the Arewa town hall policy dialogue on Saturday in Kaduna.
In a popular event video, Atiku made a statement.
APC National Publicity Secretary, Barrister Felix Morka, responded in a statement on Sunday, calling what Atiku said a clear attack on national unity.
The ruling party claimed that Atiku’s remarks, which it views as a decisive assault on the country’s national unity, are not what Nigeria needs right now.
It is unacceptable for a senior citizen and a former vice president of the Federal Republic to so blatantly sow division and strife in our nation in the name of his confused political self-interest, according to the APC.
But it is not shocking coming from a desperate and repeatedly unsuccessful presidential contender. When will the typical Northerner no longer require a Northern President if, as Atiku contends, they do so now and in the future? What does Atiku believe that the typical Southerner requires? Why does it matter what the typical Northerner or even the typical Southerner could need?
Why is it not focused on the needs of Nigeria and Nigerians? Nigeria needs strong, visionary leadership that is committed to transcendental national unity rather than preoccupations with ethnic or sectional identities. Such a man cannot and must not be trusted with the most important position of President, a post whose primary obligation is that of leading, uniting, and working in the best interests of all in an ethnoreligious pluralistic nation as Nigeria. Atiku’s words ring loudly of excessive and thoughtless desperation. This kind of incredibly explosive speech is not what our nation needs right now or ever.
The PDP presidential candidate, who has been portraying himself as a unifier, has now let the cat out of the bag, according to the ruling party, with his “unfortunate” statement.
“Our Northern citizens and patriots know much more than Atiku believes and will not follow him down that precarious path.
“Atiku wants to cause more division and misery in Nigeria than he has done to his PDP,” the statement reads. Atiku seized the presidency and left his party in fractious infirmity, contravening the requirements of his party’s constitution on the principle of power rotation between the North and South of Nigeria, the statement stated.
“Our Northern Progressive APC Governors stood heroically in support of the development of a Southern Presidential Candidate of our Party in evidence of patriotic devotion to national unity, equality, and fairness,” it said. “In direct contrast to Atiku’s schismatic propensity. Nigeria requires that now and always.
“And that’s the devotion our presidential candidate, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, brings to his desire to hold the office of President. His executive cabinet as governor of Lagos State was a rare and admirable example of ethnic and religious diversity.
When chosen as President in the general election of next year, “we are convinced he will enthrone equality, fairness, inclusiveness, and unity as operating national policy, as we ask Nigerians to do.”
