Atiku Pledges Loyalty To Buhari, Debunks 2019 Maneuver

Atiku-BuhariA former Vice President of Nigeria and chieftain of All Progressives Congress (APC), Atiku Abubakar, has described as “dangerous”, moves by individuals or groups in the governing party to constitute themselves into an opposition even before the constitution and take off President Muhammadu Buhari’s government.

He gave the warning against the backdrop of unfolding events in the polity, which he notes are interplay of forces and interests that are dynamic, but must not be promoted to the point of being a threat to the nation’s democracy and the new administration.

In a press statement released by his media office in Abuja on Sunday and signed by Paul Ibe, the former vice president while acknowledging that it is legitimate and desirable for individuals or groups to seek to pursue their interest, stressed that it must be done with the benefit of sustaining our democracy and promoting equity, fair play and justice in mind.

“Anything to the contrary may jeopardise our hard-earned democracy and constitute a clog in the wheel of the new administration”, Atiku said.

The Turaki Adamawa noted that because of the historic nature of the mandate of President Buhari and the arduous challenges ahead to deliver on making Nigeria work for all Nigerians, it is important, especially for members of his own party, to rally behind the president in the quest to enthrone good governance, that will spur security and stability, economic and social development, job creation, infrastructure renewal and above all a better life for Nigerians.

The former vice president urged members of the APC to emulate the unity of all the presidential contestants after the party’s Lagos primaries last year and support Mr. Buhari to form his government and get to work.

While exonerating himself of the purported hijack of the party and the National Assembly towards 2019, Atiku Abubakar described such insinuations as figment of the imagination of those promoting it and asked Nigerians to ignore all such insinuation.

He noted that the recent outcomes of the National Assembly election, which produced Bukola Saraki and Yakubu Dogara as Senate President and Speaker of the House of Representatives respectively, contrary to insinuations, are products of interplay of politics which is itself in constant motion.

The former vice president was accused of supporting Saraki contrary to the party’s anointed candidate, Senator Ahmed Lawan.

But he said “in politics, it is a mistake to expect fixed outcomes. As the President has done, let’s all come to terms with what has happened in the interest of the system and move on”.

“Suffice it to say that the new administration should be allowed a smooth take off and be allowed the atmosphere to deliver. On this, I stand with President Buhari”, Atiku added.

The Turaki Adamawa while restating his unalloyed commitment to the Buhari administration, pledged to back this commitment with all of the assets at his disposal.

“Not only did Atiku Abubakar congratulate Buhari after his emergence as the presidential candidate of the APC at the party’s national convention in Lagos, he also handed over his best assets to the Buhari Presidential Campaign. The former Vice President enthusiastically handled the diplomatic assignment of seeking endorsement for Dr. Adesina as the President of the African Development Bank on behalf of President Buhari and would be available for any other assignments as the President pleases.

“Make no mistake about it Atiku Abubakar holds Buhari in the highest esteem, and would always remain loyal to him, and support him in every endeavour to succeed as president”.

The former number 2 man also called on Nigerians, with members of the President’s own party, taking a lead in their undiluted support of his administration.

“We, the members of the President’s own family need to lead in this direction for others to follow for the good of our nation and its peoples”.

Mr. Abubakar also denounced the increasing determination of some people to draw a wedge between President Buhari and himself.

“It has become crystal clear even to the blind that the motives of these hatchet men who are desperate to take every available newspaper space is to insult, vilify and calumniate the former Vice President.

“We cannot allow liars, denigrators and blackmailers and their sponsors to use Atiku as platform to ingratiate themselves with President Buhari and hijack his presidency under the pretext of loving him more than anyone else. These political ventriloquists are hiding behind the cover of anonymity to achieve their sinister agenda of making Atiku the fall guy in the unfolding political developments”.

2 COMMENTS

  1. PMB is our president and Atiku has shown his utmost and unalloyed support to him and the office he’s occupying.
    Let other party leaders do same.
    Democracy doesn’t grow by imposition of candidates.
    That is why Atiku Abubakar insisted on presidential primaries in APC and stood still till the primaries came to conclusion, even though it was clear he was going to lose.
    That is character. That is statesmanly.