Niger Delta youths reject Atiku’s presidential bid, blast Ben Bruce for supporting him
- Niger Delta youths called on Atiku not to contest in 2019
- They urged him to take a leadership role in the PDP
- They youths criticised Senator Ben Bruce for supporting Atiku's presidential bid
A coalition of Niger Delta Youth has lashed out at Senator Ben Murray-Bruce for floating Alhaji Atiku Abubakar as the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
Vanguard reports that in a statement signed by its Chairman, Harry Lawson and Secretary, Preye Wilson on Wednesday, November 7, the group said Goodluck Jonathan lost the 2015 presidential election because of Atiku.
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While it welcomed the former vice president back to the PDP, the group said he should take a leadership role rather than seeking for presidency.
The statement read: “We, the Niger Delta Coalition wish to welcome former Vice President Atiku Abubakar back to the umbrella, a party he formed with other eminent Nigerians in 1998.
“We wish to remind the former Vice President that he destroyed, battered and abandoned the PDP on the October 31st 2013 for a greener pasture in another political party when he was needed most.
“However, we welcome Atiku Abubakar back to the PDP, the party which he called his home. We are happy he has realised his wrong decisions and is back to make amends.
“Nevertheless, we wish to tell him that if PDP is truly his home as he has claimed, then we expect that he plays nothing less than a leadership role in the party. He should channel all his efforts towards the reconstruction, strengthening and building a strong political base for the party. He should truly be a leader and help the party develop winning strategies. He should help in reconciling and bringing back aggrieved members.
“We from the Niger Delta are still nursing the wounds over the role he played that frustrated the re-election of former President Goodluck Jonathan in 2015. We are also aware that Atiku is wielding so much financial lobby in the Niger Delta to gather support for his Presidential ambition”
“We expect that the former Vice President should for now bury his Presidential ambition as a display of uncommon leadership and as part of his atonement. He should rather work towards assisting the party to produce an impeccable and credible candidate that will help PDP wrestle the Presidency from the ruling All Progressives Congress, come 2019.”
“We call on all the leaders from the region especially Senator Ben-Murray Bruce not to fall for his inducements but courageously advice him to be an exemplary leader and allow those who have been dedicated their energy and time to the party to take the shot.”
Meanwhile, the Board of Trustees of PDP called on aggrieved members who left the party to follow the footsteps of Atiku “and return home.”
NAN reports that the Chairman of the board, Sen. Walid Jibrin, made the call while briefing journalists on Wednesday in Abuja.
He said “as the party joyfully welcomes Atiku back to his home PDP, we are equally waiting to receive more members.
“We are waiting for the President of the Senate, Sen. Bukola Saraki, Sen, Rabiu Kwankwaso, other senators, members of House of Representatives and APC governors who left the PDP.
“Let all of us unite and take back power from APC come 2019.”
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Source: Naija.ng