PDP governor says Atiku may lose 2019 presidential election
- A state governor of the PDP says the preparation of the party for the 2019 presidential election is riddled with deep frustrations
- The governor, who asked not to be named, notes that his concerns for the party are also shared by other party leaders across the country
- The governor says party leaders are offended by the alleged lack of consultation by the presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, before making key appointments of his running mate and head of the campaign organisation
A state governor of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has warned that his party might lose the 2019 presidential election if it does not address some issues drawing back its campaign for the poll.
The governor, who asked not to be named, told Premium Times that preparations of the PDP for the presidential election is riddled with deep frustrations.
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He said his concerns for the party were also shared by other party leaders across the country, who were worried about the party's shoddy preparations for the poll.
“It seems as if we have conceded the election to Buhari even though the Nigerian people are behind us. The momentum has fallen, the possibility of victory is getting slimmer every day,”the governor lamented.
He said party leaders were offended by the alleged lack of consultation by the presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, before making key appointments of his running mate and head of the campaign organisation
He said those worried by the PDP’s preparation for the presidential poll included state governors Ibrahim Dankwambo of Gombe, Nyesom Wike of Rivers and Aminu Tambuwal of Sokoto; as well as former governors Ahmed Makarfi, Sule Lamido, and Rabiu Kwankwaso.
“He (Mr Abubakar) did not consult anybody before appointing Obi (former Anambra State governor, Peter),” the governor said.
“They (party leaders) are saying we should have sat down to do a proper calculation on where the running mate should come from, whether from the South-west or the South-east.
“The thinking among many leaders is that the running mate should have come from the South-west because you have from there people like Tinubu (former Lagos State governor, Bola, of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) who is politically-savvy and (Vice President Yemi) Osinbajo who has integrity and credibility.
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“Why will the people of the South-west abandon Tinubu and Osinbajo to vote PDP?”
“People believe that we should have instead given the South-west the vice presidency and make a commitment to hand over power to the south-east after an Atiku presidency.”
He said the commitment of the deputy Senate president, Ike Ekweremadu and many southeast leaders including the governors to the PDP campaign was not total because of Abubakar’s choice of Obi as his running mate.
“Obi is considered an APGA person who only defected to the PDP during the (former President Goodluck) Jonathan era because he had nowhere else to go. In any case, what is his electoral worth in the South-East,” he said.
Meanwhile, as the 2019 general elections draw nearer, the minister of science and technology, Ogbonnaya Onu, has called on Ndigbo to support the re-election bid of the candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), President Muhammadu Buhari.
The minister made the call on Sunday, December 30, adding that it is important for southeast to support Buhari for a second term in order to have a better chance of producing president in 2023, The Cable reports.
Legit.ng gathers that Ogbonnaya spoke at a stakeholders meeting held at his country home in Uburu, Ohaozara local government area of Ebonyi state.
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Source: Legit.ng
