Following the emergence of former Vice President Atiku Abubakar as the flagbearer of the People Democratic Party (PDP) in the just concluded primary election on Saturday, the apex Igbo socio-political organization, Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide has described PDP as a party for the northern region, adding that it will not support its candidate.
The group stated this after Atiku polled a total of 371 votes to defeat his closest rival, Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers state who polled a total of 237 votes and former Senate President, Bukola Saraki who polled 70 votes.
According to the Ohanaeze Secretary-General Okechukwu Isiguzoro the Igbo would rise up against Atiku, adding that his presidential campaign would be rejected in the South-East.
In a statement, Isiguzoro said that Igbos were schemed out of PDP presidential primaries.
He said: “It’s amusing that PDP is now a Political party for the Northern region, with Iyocha Ayu as PDP chair, Walid Jubril as BOT Chair and Atiku Abubakar as 2023 PDP Presidential candidate.
“PDP has fulfilled her threats to sideline the Igbo in 2023 and we will carefully answer back to them.
“Another Northerner, Senator David Mark supervised the process that schemed out Igbo from PDP. The consequences of the 2022 PDP convention will be a discontinuity of milking of Igbo votes by a party that butchered the Igbo’s dream.
“We are waiting for the APC presidential primary to take the final decision on whether or not Igbos will participate in the 2023 elections.
“Atiku Abubakar will be opposed in the South-East, and no Igbo is anticipated to champion or project Atiku Presidency in the East. Nobody is going to take the risk of campaigning for Atiku in the East since the PDP is now a regional northern political party. Atiku will not have Igbo support him in 2023, he cannot be the President of Nigeria in 2023.
“Ndigbo will rise against PDP and Atiku Abubakar as a prize for PDP’s ingratitude and dishonesty against Igbo.”
Last minute realignments Saturday paved way for the emergence of former Vice President Atiku Abubakar as the flag-bearer of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for the 2023 presidential election.
Atiku, 75, who was the candidate of the party in 2019, polled 371 votes to emerge the winner of the keenly contested primary of the leading opposition party.
It was gathered that intervention of party leaders and some northern elders shortly before the commencement of the election worked in favour of the former vice president.
At 8:34pm, Governor Aminu Waziri Tambuwal of Sokoto State stepped down for Atiku. Party sources said he withdrew from the race to support Atiku following the intervention of some elders who feared that should Wike pick the ticket, the ruling party would coast to victory in 2023.
