A chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Get together, PDP, Segun Sowunmi, has stated that former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar, has not made up his thoughts to contest the 2027 presidential election.
Sowunmi, a former spokesman to Atiku, stated he had spoken to the previous presidential candidate of the PDP about contesting the 2027 election however was but to get a transparent reply.
The PDP chieftain made the revelation on Monday in Abuja on the unveiling of the Nationwide Opposition Motion Coalition, a platform aimed toward selling a vibrant opposition in addition to clear, credible democratic and electoral processes forward of the 2027 election.
His revelation got here a number of days after a chieftain of the PDP, Chief Olabode George, suggested the previous vp to step again and permit others to steer.
Sowunmi, nonetheless, stated the choice to run for the presidency shouldn’t be nearly Atiku, however about anybody with the center to develop Nigeria and clear plans for the nation’s improvement.
“In any case, who would have argued that Tinubu, giving his pedigree and what he has achieved, take every little thing away from him, could be within the villa struggling?
“In order that signifies that there’s one thing past what one particular person can do. Atiku has not even informed me he’s operating. I’ve requested him two instances. I’ll ask him yet another time, if he doesn’t give a solution. That’s it,” he stated.
The PDP chieftain recounted his efforts to steer former governor of Anambra State, Peter Obi to run for the presidency on the platform of the PDP in 2023.
“I do know the quantity of operating across the nation I did simply to steer the folks of southeastern extraction in PDP, particularly Excellency, Peter Obi,” he stated.
“I imagine we’re going to destroy this nation if we run a rustic that provides the third leg of our unbiased wrestle the concept they can’t be president, or that there will likely be a glass ceiling over their head.
“I went everywhere in the Southeast, begging folks and visited even Peter Obi greater than 5 instances till I stated purchase the shape, allow us to even see whether or not the Nigerian folks will attain you. I do know they may.
“That was the journey. And when he needed to go to the Labour Get together, he didn’t inform me, however he didn’t have to inform me. I nonetheless commend him for even daring for bringing the dialog of the southeast to the fore.
“However I do know that past the pedagogy of language like manufacturing, consumption, nation-building is a really severe enterprise. And I’m not saying I cannot even again him, however we should again him on an assumption that he can get the job achieved. There’s no level in designing an election contest that’s solely going to deliver frustration.”
He stated the brand new motion was established as a result of “must rescue our nation and democracy from the hazard we see on the horizon.
He stated the promoters of the motion had watched the passion of residents wane through the years with every election proving to be worse than the earlier.
Sowunmi added: “Now we have watched the electoral umpire, INEC, enhance its tips and operational guide. But, relatively than a rise in election integrity, what we see is a progressive lack of integrity and transparency within the electoral course of.
“The judiciary of our nation has not been spared as we have now noticed an unacceptable and harmful erosion of the integrity of judicial establishments, which ordinarily ought to present steadiness, checkmating establishments of presidency and defending the state from a whole collapse.
“Now we have noticed a rise within the actions of thugs, different non-state actors and violence at play, including to the challenges of our democracy. The explanation for the beginning of this motion is the necessity to rescue our nation and democracy from the hazard we see on the horizon.
“Respect for the precept of social gathering supremacy is now at an all-time low. A viable opposition to checkmate the actions of the incumbent authorities is nearly non-existent.
“There may be an pressing want for a platform to interact political actors, nationwide stakeholders, academia, civil society, the media, the political events themselves, democratic establishments of different nations and all who can contribute to the wellness and sustainability of our democracy.”
