The Presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, on Tuesday, solicited for the support of the Igbo of South eastern Nigeria, as he told the stakeholders that gathered to interact with him in Enugu that his administration would ensure a South east president after him
Atiku, who made the declaration as he met with PDP stakeholders from the Southern in Enugu, as part of his consultation, reminded the Igbo that he remains their in-law, having had three children from his Igbo wife
The stakeholders meeting was however boycotted by Governor ofAbia State, Okezie Ikpeazu, Enugu East senator, and former Governor Chimaraoke Nnamani, and some other South-East stakeholders of the PDP.
While, Ikpeazu, a strong ally of Rivers Governor, Nyesom Wike, is among those calling for the resignation of the PDP national chairman, Iyorchia Ayu as a condition for hem to support Atiku, former Enugu sae Governor, Nnamani, a PDP senator. Has not hidden his support for the presidential candidate of the APC, Bola tinubu, as against Atiku
The former Governor who was listed as a member of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Presidential campaign council, was still showing his admiration for the APC presidential candidate, Ahmed Bola Tinubu on his social media pages, while the Atiku meeting with stakeholders was ongoing.
He wrote: “HE Tinubu is my friend, brother and colleague. I have great respect for him, his political antecedents and strides in governance. And I am very proud and well pleased with him. Anybody belly aching should go himself.”
Atiku, who spoke during a crucial meeting with PDP South East stakeholders at the BASE Event Centre, said he has severally demonstrated his readiness to hand over to the people of the zone if they support him to ascend the office of the presidency in 2023, describing himself as the stepping stone to Igbo presidency.
“I am the stepping stone for Igbo to become President of Nigeria,” he said, maintaining that he would win the 2023 presidential polls.
Atiku said he would prioritise developmental projects in South East and other regions of the country, saying that any project sited in any state of the federation is not a favour to such state rather a favour to Nigeria.
“The second Niger Bridge in Onitsha is not a favour to the South East; rather it is or should be seen as a favour to Nigeria. This is because it is not only the people of the South East that use the bridge,” Atiku said.
On his relationship with the Igbo, the former Vice President said that he had close relationship with the Igbo which influenced his choices of Senator Ben Obi and Mr. Peter Obi as his running mates in his two previous outings as Presidential candidate, adding that he has chosen another Igbo (Ifeanyi Okowa) for the third time as his running mate.
Atiku added: “I have three Igbo children and I am saying this for the very first time in public.”
