The presidential candidate of the Peoples
Democratic Party (PDP) Atiku Abubakar has
relished the endorsement by five socio cultural
associations, saying the move has placed a
greater challenge on his assignment.
The Afenifere, Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Northern Elders
Forum, Pan-
Niger Delta Forum and the Middle Belt Forum
after a meeting in Abuja on Sunday, thrown their
full weight behind Atiku’s presidential aspiration.
In a statement Sunday, which he personally
signed, Atiku expressed hope for the country as
Nigerians go to the polls to elect a new President
in a few days.
The statement reads: “I am moved to tears that
in the midst of deep divisions and deliberate use
of instrumentalities of state to set our people
against themselves in the last three and a half
years, responsible and respected leaders across
Nigeria have agreed to come together for the
purpose of endorsing my candidature for the
February 16th, 2019 presidential elections.
“The endorsement by the leading lights of our
nationalities – Afenifere, Ohanaeze Ndigbo,
Northern Elders Forum, Pan-Niger Delta Forum
and Middle Belt Forum is a loud statement that
there is hope for our country as we go to the
polls in a few days.
“Today we put aside all our prejudices to elect a
President with religion and ethnicity playing no
role in our elections. I profusely thank our
Leaders across the country who have created this
wonderful moment for us to come to the table of
brotherhood.
“Once again, and in the words of our old National
Anthem, we can proudly sing: ‘Though tribes and
tongues may differ, in brotherhood we stand’.
The opposition presidential candidate said the
endorsement has buoyed him to lead a Pan-
Nigerian team that will give practical
interpretation to what has been done by the time
he takes the baton of leadership of the country,
“by the grace of Allah, on May 29, 2019â€.
Continuing, Atiku said: “Many countries of the
world have been led into disintegration by
strongmen (one in each country) and we have
seen how individuals who understand the
management of diversities have rallied their
people for unity.
“I have been chosen to unite our people and
exactly that I will. I will run a properly federated
Nigeria through constitutional reforms to bring
out the best from all sections of Nigeria to make
Nigeria work again like in the past when the
Saudi Royal family came to Nigeria to access
Medicare.
“We will promote an inclusive Nigeria based on
productivity that every section of Nigeria will
bring out the best under their soil, and in their
brains to make Nigeria assume its position in
Africa and the global community.
“It would be 100% for every section of Nigeria as
I would not understand any arithmetic outside
that. I enjoin our people across Nigeria to come
out en-mass to vote on February 16 to pull our
country from the brink and propel it to greater
heights so we can live a better life. Take my
words as a covenant with Nigeriaâ€.
source: thenationonlineng.net/atiku-moved-tears-endorsement-afenifere-ohanaeze-nef-others/
