The Yoruba self-determination group, Oodua People’s Congress, has said that the emergence of former Vice President Atiku Abubakar as the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party for the 2019 general elections is a popular decision by the main opposition party.
The OPC also described the development as an evidence of the internal democracy mechanism in the main opposition party, hailing the PDP’s choice of Atiku as its standard bearer in next year’s presidential election.
Founder and President of the group, Dr. Frederick Fasehun, said that the PDP Convention in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, had made a nationally popular decision by electing Abubakar as its flagbearer.
“PDP has done the very needful by giving Nigerians a formidable opposition candidate who not only is capable of giving the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) a good fight at the general elections, but stands an enormous chance of actually winning the coming presidential polls,” he said.
While urging the 11 other PDP presidential gladiators to close ranks and throw their weight behind the winner of the PDP contest, Fasehun said that they should continue to respect the wishes of the party delegates.
“The task to enthrone a truly democratic government of Nigerians, by Nigerians and for Nigerians will not be an easy one, and all hands must be on deck to give Nigerians a government of their dream,” the OPC Founder said.
Fasehun praised the PDP convention for demonstrating once more that the party remained the country’s foremost custodian of democracy as well as an organisation with an unbroken consistence in maintaining internal democracy.
Showering encomiums on the PDP presidential hopeful, Fasehun said Abubakar was a foremost nationalist, whose personal character, business successes, administrative experience and formidable political credentials marked him out as the leader Nigeria needed at these
trying times.
Fasehun said, “I became familiar with Alhaji Atiku Abubakar in the Third Republic, when we were both leading figures in the Social Democratic Party
(SDP).
“The Atiku I know is an experienced businessman, a detribalised Nigerian and a conscientious politician who, given the chance, is capable of taking the country to great heights in the areas of the economy, education, security and infrastructure.”
He said that although OPC was non-political, the organisation would extend a hand of fellowship towards the enthronement of a truly democratic and progressive leader for the country.
Fasehun, especially singled out former President Olusegun Obasanjo for praise over his silent support and fatherly role in the emergence of Atiku as the PDP
candidate.
