According to the Technical Committee for the Actualization of Atiku Abubakar’s Presidency, the former vice president was not included in the deal to choose a consensus presidential candidate for the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
Bukola Saraki, the former Senate president; Bala Mohammed, the Bauchi governor; Aminu Tambuwal, the governor of Sokoto; and Mohammed Hayatu-Deen, the former managing director of the now-defunct FSB International Bank – have held consultations across the country on a consensus presidential candidacy in recent months.
Following a report released on Friday by elder statesman Ango Abdullahi, Saraki and Mohammed were dubbed “northern consensus candidates.”
Tambuwal, on the other hand, was not pleased with the outcome of the exercise.
In a statement on Saturday, Raymond Dokpesi, on behalf of the technical committee, said there is a need to officially distance Atiku from the exercise because they have “been inundated with several calls and text messages from concerned party members”.
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“It must be stated categorically and equivocally that Waziri Atiku Abubakar MA, GCON Vice President Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999-2007 was NEVER a part of this purported consensus arrangement, neither did he at any time nor in any place, subject himself to any purported consensus process,” Dokpesi said.
“Therefore, Waziri Atiku Abubakar is NOT BOUND by any of the recommendations and conclusions of the purported report.
“As an avowed nationalist, Waziri Atiku Abubakar strongly believes that Nigeria has never been as divided as it is today. He strongly believes that any ‘consensus’ arrangement premised on any regional, zonal, ethno-religious, and/or sectional gang-up will further deepen and widen this divide, and worsen the wounds that urgently need to be healed.
“Consequently, Vice-President Atiku Abubakar is anxious to implement plans, policies and programmes that will rescue and rebuild Nigeria. This is his unwavering and resolute pledge and commitment.”
