Former Vice President and presidential aspirant on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, on Tuesday sought the support of delegates of Ekiti State to the national convention of the party, saying he has a good programme to develop Nigeria.
Abubakar was received by the state Governor, Ayodele Fayose, and prospective delegates of the party to the convention.
Abubakar, who lamented the economic situation in the country, noted that the country had sunk into more corruption under President Muhammadu Buhari.
He said, “I have come to appeal to you to support me in our party’s convention. I have the programme that will best develop this country. I wish to appeal for your individual and collective support.”
Fayose, while responding, admonished party members to unite to enable them wrestle power from Buhari.
Fayose noted that the aspirant had “the shoulder, you have the height, you have the wherewithal. Our prayer is that it will not be an effort in futility.”
Charging the party on unity, Fayose noted that “the greatest problem PDP may have is if we don’t go to that election as brothers and sisters.”
He said: “The task before the PDP at this time is not about who has been in the party before and who is just joining. It is about rescuing Nigeria and its people from the calamity of this Buhari’s government.”
While wishing Atiku well, the governor said “come October 6th, this journey will fall in wonderful places for you.”
Abubakar described Fayose as “brutally frank”, saying “I like the way you do things. You’re brutally frank. You say your mind, it’s a very rare quality. So, I commend you for who you are. We will stand by you and the party in Ekiti until you retrieve your stolen mandate.”
The former vice president reiterated that allegations of corruption were false, saying he had always called that “if you have any evidence of corruption against Atiku, please come forward. But nobody has been able to come forward.”
The PDP chairman in Ekiti State, Chief Gboyega Oguntuwase, said “we have an interest within this your project and by the grace of God, we want this your project to succeed. Nigeria shall laugh, Ekiti shall laugh.”
Oguntuwase said “Atiku is the option to a ‘lifeless president’. He’s not dead, but he is not somebody that can be counted to lead Nigeria to the Promised Land.”