Former Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt Hon Yakubu Dogara, has endorsed the flagbearer of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) Atiku Abubakar, as presidential candidate for the upcoming 2023 general elections.
In a statement on Friday during the presentation of the report of the Northern Leaders Consultative Forum’s technical committee, Dogara said the decision to support the PDP candidate was based on the quest for inclusiveness by Nigerians.
He noted that the adoption of a Moslem-Moslem ticket by the All Progressives Congress (APC), did not align with the vision of a united Nigeria, nor does it promote a collective sense of belonging.
“What will destroy Nigeria is not ethnicity but religion”, he stated.
The report which was signed by the chairman of the Northern Leaders Technical Criteria Committee, Hon. Mohammed Kumaila and Secretary, Nunghe Kele, SAN, was presented by former Deputy Governor of Kogi State, Simon Achuba.
While presenting the report, Achuba explained that amongst the criteria used in selecting their choice of endorsement are: presidential experience; requisite track record in public service, business and education; evidence of national penetration; religious and ethnic balance, reasonable popularity, and physical fitness among others.
According to the report, Atiku, scored all 15 points and was followed by the candidate of the New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP), Rabiu Kwankwaso, who scored 10 points and APC’s Bola Tinubu and the Labour Party’s candidate Peter Obi, who had nine points each.
He however, stressed that the endorsement was subject to assurance from the party to run an all-inclusive government,
“It is evident that the All Progressives Congress (APC) is heading for implosion and extinction; hence, it cannot be the party for now and in the future, because of its rejection to embrace inclusiveness in a diverse country like Nigeria.
“After the 2023 elections, APC may be dead and buried as a political party. While the duo (NNPP and LP) may emerge as strong contenders in the political arena in the future, from all indications, PDP appears to be the best option to adopt and support,” the report said.
TheNewsGuru.com (TNG) reports that the development comes barely days after a former secretary to the government of the federation (SGF) Babachir Lawal, endorsed the presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP) Peter Obi.
Meanwhile, the wife of the APC’s presidential candidate Senator Oluremi Tinubu, has assured that Tinubu will partner with the people of the North-West region of Nigeria and meet their needs, if voted into power in the 2023 elections.
Senator Tinubu gave the assurance while canvassing for votes at the North-West zonal rally of the Tinubu/Shettima Women Presidential Campaign team, which took place at the People’s Square, Katsina Town, Katsina state.
During the event, the Minister of Finance, Zainab Ahmed, said that President Muhammadu Buhari’s regime had improved the well-being of Nigerians and that women in the zone would give their unflinching support to the APC.
“We are calling on all women in the zone to continue to give our party all the necessary support so that the APC will continue to rule at all levels,” said the minister.
