Atiku reacts to Obasanjo's letter to Buhari
- Atiku Abubakar said Obasanjo's letter to Buhari showed the failure of the ruling APC
- Speaking during his visit to Ekiti state, the former vice president hailed Governor Fayose, saying he was an integral person in the PDP
- In his reply, Fayose described Atiku’s presidential ambition as legitimate and a welcomed development for the party
Alhaji Atiku Abubakar has reacted to the letter written by Chief Olusegun Obasanjo to President Muhammadu Buhari, saying it confirmed that the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) has failed Nigerians.
Atiku made this comment on Wednesday, January 24, when he paid a visit to Governor Ayodele Fayose of Ekiti in furtherance of his political ambition.
READ ALSO: FG responds to Obasanjo’s criticism of Buhari administration
Atiku said: “The letter was a personal issue between two individuals, so I won’t like to comment on it. However, the letter confirmed that the APC government under Buhari has failed Nigerians."
Atiku said since his return home to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Ekiti is the first state he is visiting for consultations with party leaders.
According to him, he and Fayose struck a good relationship since his first tenure as governor and he was vice president.
"He is blunt and straightforward, a sharpshooter in politics and I respect him for that this. But above all, he is also the chairman of our governors forum. Today, among the governors, among the party generally, he calls the shots and when he does so, we all take the queue.
“Another unique thing the governor has done is telling me that his deputy is being supported as the party candidate in the next election, this is a very rare feat in the democratic system of our country.
“How many deputy governors have succeeded their governors? It means he has foresight and wants someone to continue his good works," the former vice president said.
In his reaction, Fayose described Atiku’s ambition as legitimate and a welcomed development for the party.
He said: “Vice President Atiku has not spoken to me privately about his ambition, and maybe he would do that in our private meeting. But his body language obviously shows he has an ambition which is legitimate. We will all examine everybody and we will have a level playing ground, as he has come, others will still come.
“I have paid my dues, I am not a hidden voice. I have all it takes to lead this country, but whichever way it goes, the interest of our party comes first, it is above our individual aspiration. Whoever the party finally picks as the party’s candidate will be supported by others.”
“I want to assure you that we only have leadership in Abuja, real party is in the states and at the local government level, we have done it before, we will do it again."
Meanwhile, ahead of 2019 general elections, the leadership of the PDP is reportedly banking on seven people to challenge the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the presidential contest.
New Telegraph reports that the PDP’s plan is in place whether or not President Muhammadu Buhari is going to seek re-election in the poll scheduled to hold on February 16, 2019.
Legit.ng gathered that New Telegraph was reliably informed by high ranking sources within the main opposition party that the PDP is banking on the candidacy of five of its members and two others expected to come from the APC.
The two APC stalwarts expected to join the PDP are a former governor of Kano state, Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso and a serving northern governor.
2019 Presidency: Nigerians reveal why they prefer Atiku to President Buhari on Legit.ng TV
Source: Legit.ng
