Atiku Remains Sure Bet For Igbo Presidency – PDP Tells Ndigbo

The party said the former Vice President has proved to the South East people that he can be trusted, adding that no other tribe in Nigeria has trusted the Ndigbo and made them direct partners in progress than Atiku.

The Deputy Director Media and Publicity, PDP Presidential Management Committee, Mr. Uloka Chibuike, said these in a statement made available to journalists in Awka on Tuesday.

According to Chibuike, Ndigbo have it as a duty to support Atiku in the 2023 presidential elections because he has pledged to restructure Nigeria to favour and accommodate the South-East and make sure that his successor comes from the region.

He pointed out that one of the major challenges why an Igbo man has not been Nigeria’s President is the lack of political alliance with other regions.

He added that the success Ndigbo has attained so far in the country’s polity has been due to alliance with the North, adding that same should be replicated by aligning with the North to support Atiku in 2023.

He explained that the Igbos should reflect on the alliances with the North, starting from the First Republic alliance between NCNC – NPC that produced Nnamdi Azikiwe as President and the Second Republic alliance between NPP – NPN that produced Alex Ekwueme as Vice President and Chief Edwin Ume-Ezeoke as Speaker of the House of Representatives.

He said, “We have more to gain with an alliance with the North, than any other region in the country. Atiku has proved to the Igbo man that he can be trusted. No other tribe in Nigeria has trusted the Igbo man and made them direct partners in progress, except Atiku”.

“In 2007, against the uproar, he chose an Igbo from Anambra State in the person of Senator Ben Ndi Obi to be his running mate.”

“Despite the animosity of many, he chose Mr. Peter OBI as his running mate in 2019 to prove his relationship with Ndigbo.”

“Again, despite Ohanaeze’s ban on Igbo politicians accepting Vice President in 2023, Atiku chose another Igbo man as his running mate in 2023, promising to hand over power to ndi-Igbo after his term.”

“Atiku has pledged to restructure Nigeria to favour and accommodate Ndigbo and make sure that his successor is from the region. This is not just a promise, he has repeatedly shown that his word is his bond. While others continue to treat Igbo with leprosy fingers, Atiku has promised to treat us with respect.”

“With Atiku, an alliance with the North is certain. We rather must make the sacrifice by supporting his ambition to get the support of the North in return for producing a president in the not-too-distant future.”

“It’s evident enough that other zones in the South that have all had a share of the presidency (South West under Obasanjo, South South under Jonathan) have refused to support the Igboman to be president, despite all benefiting from our unalloyed support. We must be intentional to get the alliance of the North to get reconnected to the National Grid.”

“Our alliance with the North has always worked for us, with references to the first republic when Nnamdi Azikiwe became President and the second republic when Chief Alex Ekwueme was Vice President and Chief Edwin Ume-Ezeoke was the Speaker of the House of Representatives.”

“Our success in the polity of the nation has been due to our alliance with the North; we can replicate that again if we align with the North to support Atiku in 2023.”

“Waziri remains the shortest route to the Igbo presidency; his victory and success are those of the average Onye Igbo.

“Fun-fact on Atiku Abubakar’s presidency and the reasons 2023 will be different: The North is now his greatest support base, despite the fact that since 2007, he has never been certain of the Northern bloc’s support. There are no other presidential candidates competing with Atiku Abubakar for the northern votes in 2023.”

“We must shun sentiment and emotions and be intentional with our alliance. No single region can produce the President alone.”