The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has said Nigerians are eager to elect its presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, as the next President of the country, describing him as a leader who understands that the powers and privileges of office should be used for the benefit of the people.
The party made the claim as more groups from Northern Nigeria continued to declare their support for Atiku ahead of the 2019 general elections.
PDP National Publicity Secretary, Kola Ologbondiyan, stated the party’s position while receiving leaders of a coalition of youth groups from Kano, Katsina and Kaduna states at the party’s National Secretariat.
The delegation was at the secretariat to announce its defection from the All Progressives Congress (APC) and express support for Atiku’s presidential bid.
Ologbondiyan said the growing movement around Atiku reflected what he described as increasing dissatisfaction with the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari.
According to him, the political camp supporting Buhari had continued to lose members since Atiku emerged as the PDP presidential candidate, arguing that many Nigerians were now looking towards the former vice president as an alternative.
He described Atiku as a broad-minded politician and unifier whose political agenda, according to the party, was focused on improving the welfare and living standards of Nigerians.
“Nigerians have reached a consensus to rally with Atiku Abubakar,” Ologbondiyan said, while contrasting the PDP candidate’s campaign message with what he described as the failures of the Buhari administration.
He further argued that Atiku represented what the PDP described as a new opportunity for national development, democratic consolidation, unity, wealth creation and youth empowerment.
“Nigerians know that unlike President Buhari, Atiku Abubakar is a world-class entrepreneur, widely accepted as an epitome of wealth creation and youth empowerment, whose policy direction provides practical answers to the challenges confronting our nation today,” Ologbondiyan said.
He added that the PDP believed Atiku’s experience in business and government would enable him to address some of the economic challenges confronting the country.
Speaking earlier, the coordinator of the coalition, Mallam Yusuf Maikano, described Buhari’s election in 2015 as what he called “a huge mistake” for which, according to him, Nigerians had already paid dearly.
Maikano argued that the country could not afford another four years under the Buhari administration, alleging that the government had failed to meet several of its campaign promises.
He expressed particular concern about the situation in Northern Nigeria, where he claimed that many supporters of the president had become disappointed with his administration.
According to Maikano, many people in the region felt betrayed by what he described as the failure of the Buhari government to deliver on its 2015 campaign promises.
He also accused the administration of relying on what he called fresh promises and claims of achievements rather than addressing the concerns of Nigerians over its performance.
The coalition’s declaration of support for Atiku came amid increasing political realignments ahead of the 2019 presidential election, with political parties and interest groups intensifying efforts to mobilise support across the country.
Atiku, who had emerged as the PDP presidential candidate after defeating other aspirants at the party’s primary in Port Harcourt, was preparing to challenge President Buhari for the presidency in the February 2019 election.
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