Nigeria’s former vice president, Atiku Abubakar will present himself for consideration as president in the 2023 election, the Director-General of the Amalgamated Atiku Support Groups (AASG), Hon Oladimeji Fabiyi has disclosed.
Fabiyi, whose AASG claimed to be the umbrella body for the management and coordination of all “registered support groups” promoting the 2023 presidential agenda of Atiku Abubaka, made this position known in response to a purported coalition of the former vice president’s support groups asking him to give way for a Southern president in 2023 general elections.
Reports had it that a coalition of Atiku Support Group, comprising the Middle Belt Network for Atiku represented by Luka Pam (National President) and Madaki Yakubu (Secretary General); North 4 North Support Group for Atiku, represented by Mohammed Garba (National Coordinator) and Abubakar Sanni (National Secretary); Turaki Arewa Vanguard for Atiku, represented by Musa Abdullahi (National Coordinator) and Rabiu Ibrahim (Deputy Coordinator); and the South-west Development Frontiers, represented by Femi Osabi and Olufemi Lawson (Co- Convener), advised the Turaki Adamawa, to renounce his 2023 presidential ambition; insisting it was time for Nigerians to align and allow the South produce the next president in 2023.
Fabiyi in a statement personally signed and issued on Friday denied knowledge of the groups insisting that they are mischief makers being used by “disgruntled individuals” to advance their narrow interests.
The statement read in part: “I would like to make it abundantly clear that the AASG which has the records of hundreds of credible and authenticated Atiku support groups nationwide and in the Diaspora does not know of such amorphous groups. Let it be known that these so-called groups are at best interlopers,” Dimeji said.
“For the avoidance of doubt, Atiku Abubakar is eminently qualified under the constitution of Nigeria to contest for any office in the land. Above all, he is experienced, competent and has the capacity to preside over the affairs of our country at this critical point of its life.
“It is therefore ridiculous and malicious to see some individuals acting in ignorance of the provisions of the law.
“It is, however, not surprising because at every political season such as we are in, we witness all sorts of political jobbers, paid agents and charlatans masquerading as groups to do the bidding of enemies of democracy. Indeed, Nigerians expect more of such shenanigans.
“Already our intelligence has exposed the plot of these enemies of democracy to malign and discredit Atiku Abubakar in order to advance their narrow interests.
“Even as security agencies are being put on notice of these nefarious activities, I call on Nigerians to ignore them as one can see that some of the reasons adduced by the groups are not only ridiculous, but lacking in substance.
“The question that should be asked is who is afraid of Atiku? Everyone can see that Atiku is the issue in 2023; he is the phenomenon in 2023 that is why you see all the attacks from all angles both within the PDP and APC directed at him.
“We have seen how these desperate elements have gone to the extent of mass printing anti Atiku campaign items in Abuja which can never help them and their pay masters.
“For Atiku and his supporters it’s about the real issues, it’s about discourse on how to move Nigeria forward not about their shenanigans and inordinate ambition. Atiku remains the preferred choice of the majority of PDP members and Nigerians at large therefore, the attack by enemies to stall Nigeria’s progress cannot stop an idea whose time has come.”
