22nd August, 2014
Ayorinde Oluokun/Abuja
Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has warned leaders of political parties against dangerous tactics of playing up sentiments to polarise the people for political advantages in the run up to the Adamawa state gubernatorial bye-election scheduled for October. Specifically, Atiku advised Peoples Democratic Party, PDP leaders in Adamawa to save the state and the rest of the country form the divisive tactics to gain power.
Atiku, a chieftain of the main opposition All Progressives Congress (APC) and a political leader in Adamawa state has also promised to work with other members of his party to ensure that the process of selection of gubernatorial candidate of the party in the bye-election is free and fair.
Atiku who said this in a press statement issued by his media office on Friday explained that the APC is for all Nigerians and that it is not a party for Muslims or Christians.
He added that divisive politics would not take Nigeria anywhere.
“Unlike many of its neighbours, our state has enjoyed relative peace and stability and we don’t want them to bring divisions among our people who had lived peacefully with one another,” Atiku said.
According to Atiku, Nigerians should focus on how good governance can change their lives for the better instead of paying attention on the religion and ethnicity of elected public office holders.
He said good performances has nothing to do with one’s religion or ethnicity.
Atiku said he welcomed the modified direct primaries introduced by the APC for the conduct of the forthcoming Adamawa state gubernatorial bye-election as well as other primaries including the presidential primaries coming up at a later period.
According to the former Vice President, the modified direct primary is the best under the circumstances and nearest to the best under ideal democratic setting.
He appealed to APC leaders to make Adamawa state a model for the conduct of free, fair and credible electoral process in the country.
“He promised to lead the party leaders in the state to create a level-playing ground for all aspirants with such transparency that the election would set a standard for genuine democratic principles of fair play for all states to copy.
“He assured that he would not interfere with the choice of a candidate the people of Adamawa will be making,” the former Vice President was quoted as saying.