I Remain Stepping Stone To Igbo Presidency – Atiku

Posted by Ignatius Okpara Enugu, Featured, Latest Headlines, News Across Nigeria Tuesday, February 14th, 2023

……Boast PDP Will Form Next FG.

(AFRICAN EXAMINER) – Presidential Candidate of the opposition People’s Democratic party PDP in the 2023 election, Alhaji Atiku Abubarkar, has again maintained that he remains the stepping stone to Igbo presidency.

The former Nigeria’s president, it would be recalled, had about two months ago in Enugu during a town hall meeting, declared that a Nigeria president of Igbo extraction can only be made possible through him, if voted into office come February, 25th.

Addressing members of the Enugu State chapter of the PDP Tuesday at the Micheal Okpara Square Enugu, during the party’s presidential rally, Atiku, reiterated that an Igbo man, whether from South East or South – South zone can only take over the mantle of leadership of the nation when the time comes, through supporting him to win the 2023 presidency.

He therefore, advised Enugu state members of the party to key into his presidential project and mainstream of the party fully, so as to benefit when the time comes.

Atiku, expressed optimism that PDP would form the next federal government in Nigeria, after the exit of president Muhammadu Buhari come May 29th, this year, urging the people to vote for him massively during the presidential poll.

In his remark, National Chairman of the PDP, Senator Iyorcha Ayu, had advised the Enugu PDP members to shun labour party during the election, and vote the PDP, saying “don’t listen to what the Labour party LP people will come and tell you, because a vote for labour party is a vote for APC.

The advice however, did not go down well with the PDP members, as they started echoing ‘No No No’ to the statement.

Ayu, posited that he has no doubt in his mind that the state will vote the PDP, as usual, “because PDP is in your DNA”, stressing that the state has benefited immensely from the party since inception, and has no reason not to support their presidential Standard bearer this time around.

He noted that under PDP administration Enugu state produced former Senate president, in the person of Chief Ken Nnamani, ex Deputy Senate president, Senator Ike Ekweremadu, Ambassadors, Ministers, among other top positions.

The 2023 Governorship Candidate of PDP in Enugu state, Dr. Peter Mbah, in his speech, assured the party’s presidential flagbearer of their readiness and resolve to deliver him in the state, stressing that “since 1999, Enugu has always been PDP, and will continue to be.

Mbah, who officially received the Party’s flag from the national Chairman, said “I want to assure you that Enugu is PDP, and PDP is Enugu, and like always, we are going to deliver the party in all the elections” he promised

Deputy Governor of the state, Mrs. Cecilia Ezeilo, who spoke briefly at the event, also assured Atiku and the national Chairman that they will do the needful during the elections, pointing out that the state will do what it knows how best to do come 25th February and March 11th.

Though, top Chieftains of the party in the state, such as one time governor of old Anambra state and former Senator, Jim Nwobodo, incumbent Senator representing Enugu North Senatorial district, Senator Chuka Utazi, Speaker of the state House of Assembly, Chief Edward Ubosi, amongst others attended the rally, the State governor, and leader of the party in the state, Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi was conspicuously absent

Governor Ugwuanyi, is a member of the aggrieved G- 5 PDP governors led by Rivers State governor, Nyeso Wike, that are currently fighting political war with Atiku and the national Chairman of the party.