The Presidential candidate of the People’s Democratic Party in the forthcoming general elections, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar has stated that an average Northerner needs somebody from the North to be the President of Nigeria come 2023, and not an Igbo or Yoruba person.
The former vice President stated this during an Interactive Session with Arewa Joint Committee held on Saturday in Kaduna State.
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While responding to a question posed to him by the Spokesman of the Northern Elders Forum (NEF), Hakeem Baba-Ahmed, on why the North should vote for him, Atiku Abubakar said;
“I have traversed the whole of this country, I know the whole of this country, I have built bridges across this country, I think what the average Northerner needs is somebody who is from the North, and who also understands the other parts of Nigeria and who has been able to build bridges across the rest of the country, that is what the Northerner needs.
He (the Northerner) doesn’t need a Yoruba candidate or an Igbo candidate, this is what the Northerner need.
So, I believe I stand before you, a Pan-Nigerian from Northern origin.
Hakeem Baba-Ahmed who is the spokes person of the Northern Elders Forum is also the brother of Yusuf Datti Baba-Ahmed, the running mate to Peter Obi of the Labour Party.
The Arewa Joint Committee was set up by Arewa Consultative Forum, Arewa House, Sir Ahmadu Bello Memorial Foundation, Northern Elders Forum, Arewa Research and Development Project and Jamiyyar Mayan Arewa.
The committee is for an interactive session with Presidential candidates contesting in 2023 presidential elections.
On Saturday, 15th October, alongside Atiku Abubakar of the PDP, the committee also hosted Kola Abiola of the PRP, and Prince Abubakar Adewale Adebayo of the SDP.
On 17th October, 2022, the committee will host Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso of NNPP by 10.00am, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinibu of APC by 1.00pm and Peter Obi of LP by 4.00pm.
Nnamdi Maduakor is a Writer, Investor and Entrepreneur
