Atiku Hails PDP On Unity

Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presidential aspirant, Alhaji Abubarka Atiku, has described the party as the only political party uniting the people of the country.

Atiku, who made the remark in Enugu while addressing members of the Enugu State House of Assembly during a special session held on his behalf at the Assembly Chambers, stated that PDP was the only party, since Nigeria’s independence in 1960, that has won elections in all the geo-political zones of Nigeria.

He recalled that his national campaign director, chief Ben Obi , was his running mate when he (Atiku) took refuge in Action Congress Party of Nigeria (ACN), adding that “Everybody knows how I was pushed out of PDP”.

Fielding questions from newsmen later, Atiku said should he lose the forthcoming PDP primary, there will be no cause for alarm.

“I don’t think there will be trouble in Nigeria if I lose the PDP primaries. What problem, I don’t think there is any fear of any problem,” he stressed.

On the response of the people of the South East to his ambition, Atiku said, “It is very encouraging. You know, before I came, the South East was seen as exclusively a Jonathan territory. But since I arrived I saw that it is not true. Nobody is on the ground”, he said.

On the issue of his running mate, Alhaji Atiku stated that it is already an agreement between the North and the South East that if he runs as a presidential aspirant from the North, “definitely my running mate will come from the South East.”

In his response, Speaker of the House, Hon. Eugene Odo assured Atiku that during the fast approaching PDP primaries, members of the House would vote according to the dictates of their consciences.

“Nobody can buy our consciences. Igbos have suffered a lot of marginalization in Nigeria for a long time. Our vote will go for the presidential aspirant that has  the interest of Ndigbo at heart,” he said.

Among Atiku’s entourage were former Governor of Ebonyi State, Dr. Sam Egwu, Chief Dubem Onyia, Professor A. B. C. Nwosu, former CBN Governor and Professor Charles Soludo.