A group prompting the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to play its appropriate role as the main opposition platform in Nigeria, has asked former Vice President, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar to shelve his ambition of contesting the 2023 presidency on the platform of the party.
The PDP ACTION 2023, also believed that PDP governors and stakeholders will soon resolve the party crisis and PDP will emerge stronger while stressing that the current crisis is a normal struggle in party politics.
Chairman of the group, Hon. Rufus Omeire in a statement Wednesday said for PDP to achieve the regaining power , it should present an acceptable presidential candidate in 2023.
The group accused Atiku of abandoning the party immediately he lost the 2019 election and relocated to Dubai. Likewise did the group concluded that at 77 years, age is not on Atiku’s side.
“He claimed that he has been living in Dubai for so long in order to improve on his education, to learn how to rule Nigeria!!. Chai!. What a terrible reason: What an insult! We can’t be deceived again”, the group queried.
This, the group said is “a betrayal of trust for Alhaji Atiku Abubakar to neglect the feelings and sacrifices of ordinary voters who supported him and PDP in 2019.
“In 2019, the PDP presented Alhaji Atiku Abubakar. He contested against President Buhari and lost. He will be 77 in 2023. It is very shameful that since he lost the presidential election, he moved to Dubai, abandoning all members of PDP, all the stakeholders, and millions of ordinary Nigerians who voted for him and PDP in 2019.
“Now 2023 elections are once again at hand, he has returned and started politicking once again. Apparently, the only thing he is very good at, is politics.
“We think that time has come for Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, GCON, to step aside and allow others, preferably the younger generation, to step forward. He can be asked to take the position of the Chairman PDP Board of Trustees where he will play an advisory role to younger politicians, as an elder statesman”.
The group also frowned at the lackluster by Atiku in dousing the tension in the party but rather gallivanting across the country visiting Governor Wike in Port Harcourt and Gov. Okowa in Delta State.
“He just attended the funeral of Gov. Okowa’s father and thereafter moved to Edo State to meet Gov. Obaseki, from there he visited Governor Udom Emmanuel of Akwa Ibom State. He keeps gallivanting about. He was one of the featured guests at the opulent display in Kano at the wedding of President Buhari’s son.
“However, as the PDP was embroiled in crises, two weeks ago, one would have thought that as the last flag bearer of the party, that he would stay engaged to find a solution. No.
“He rather travelled to Morocco to see his new wife. Of course he is entitled to his family life and privileges. But it smacks of leadership incapacity to fiddle while PDP was burning”, the group said.
By Tunde Opalana
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