The Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, has cautioned the people of the South-East against allowing themselves to be deceived by the President Muhammadu Buhari-led All Progressives Congress, APC, that they would produce the next president in 2023.
Abubakar said the claim that the region will produce the President in 2023 if they support Buhari’s re-election bid, was a pack of deception.
The Secretary to the Government of the Federation, SGF, Boss Mustapha had said the South-East will produce the next President if they support Buhari in 2019.
But speaking through his campaign spokesperson, Segun Sowunmi, in an interview with Independent, the Waziri of Adamawa said Buhari and his party had demonstrated over the years that they don’t keep to their promises.
He said, “A man that cannot be trusted on simple things, is it that man that will be relied upon to fulfil a promise he made now in 2023?
“In one breath, the presidency is deceiving them that it will go there in 2023 if they support Buhari now; in another breath, the Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola, is telling them that it will go to the South-West in 2023. Nigerians are wiser than that.
“The Igbos are more intelligent than they think. What the people of the South-East needs is equal access to the play.
“Atiku has given them that equal access by giving them the vice president slot in the person of Peter Obi.
“Definitely, if he does well, there is every opportunity for anybody from the South-East to be president, and he will be supported.
“What is important is that we restructure Nigeria so that people will not be killing themselves because of the presidency, but they will go and deliver value where people need it most which is the local government and the state.
“Nigeria under Atiku is going to grant autonomy to local governments.
“They will get their funding directly and they will be able to do more for themselves.
“States will be encouraged to generate more monies for themselves and they will be given more powers to do a whole lot more, especially in growing the economy and their IGR.
“We have gone past the rhetoric of we are going to give presidency to a region in 2023 or not.
“The same Buhari who said he is going to do one term, why can’t he say he is not seeking re-election but will give the ticket to an Igbo man if he is that sincere?
“Somebody who reneges on his statement that he will only do one term, is that the one who will now promise the Igbos presidency and they will believe him?
“The Igbos know their friends and the friends of the Igbos know the Igbos,” he declared.
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