Just in: Atiku urges South East, others not to dump PDP

Atiku Abubakar

Ayorinde Oluokun/Abuja

Former Nigeria’s Vice President, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, on Monday urged all political zones in the country not to dump opposition Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in a message obviously targeted at members of the party in the Southeast.

Reports indicate that members of the party in Southeast are set to dump the PDP for the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, over the refusal of the party to commit to zoning of its 2023 presidential ticket to the region.

The Chairman of PDP and other chieftains of the party have repeatedly said the party will not zone its 2023 presidential ticket to the Southern part of the country.

There were indications that the Governor of Ebonyi State, Dave Umahi may defect from PDP to APC in the next few days where he planned to actualize his presidential ambition because of this.

There have also been speculations that other PDP chieftains in the South East may also defect to the APC in the coming days in their bid to ensure the actualization of the much talked about Igbo presidency in 2023.

But Atiku, a northerner from Adamawa State, who is believed to be one of those working to get the presidential ticket of PDP in 2023 in an early morning tweet on Monday asked the Southeast and other regions not to abandon the party.

He said, “The Peoples Democratic Party is the best friend Nigeria could have. All geopolitical zones deserve a political party that believes in Nigeria and not a party that believes otherwise.

“PDP has much to offer all parts of Nigeria, and I urge all Nigerians in all zones to keep faith with a party that has kept faith with Nigeria and will be equitable to all.”

The former Vice President who also the presidential candidate of PDP in the 2019 general election where he ran alongside former Governor Peter Obi.

Like in 2019, the PDP, according to reports, is offering the Southeast the vice presidential ticket.