Dumebi Kachikwu accuses Atiku of opposing southern presidency

Dumebi Kachikwu, presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) in the 2023 elections, has accused Atiku Abubakar, the former vice-president, of consistently working against the shift of presidential power to the south.

In a statement on Thursday, Kachikwu claimed Atiku nearly blocked former President Olusegun Obasanjo’s second-term bid because he believed it was his turn to take over power.

“Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, a man whose antecedents clearly show he doesn’t believe anyone from the southern part of Nigeria is deserving of being president of Nigeria, orchestrated this charade for his personal benefit,” he said.

“President Jonathan suffered the same fate, and then after eight years of late President Buhari as president, the same Atiku believed it was morally right for him to be the presidential flag bearer of the PDP in the last presidential elections.”

Kachikwu alleged that Atiku is now trying to deceive Peter Obi, presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP) in the 2023 elections, with claims of dominating northern support.

The ex-presidential candidate also challenged Atiku to prove he supports justice by openly declaring that the south should produce the next president.

“He is now using some charlatans to deceive former governor Peter Obi that only he, Atiku, has what it takes to win an election because he can get the majority of the North to vote for him,” Kachikwu said.

“This is most uncharitable of him. If the former vice president says my assertions are not true and that all he wants is a better Nigeria, I then challenge him today to publicly declare that equity demands that the presidency should stay in the South for another six years.

“He can then support any southern candidate of his choice. He will never do this, but if he chooses to continue on this slippery slope, I want to reiterate that the ADC is not for sale and is not an old people’s home.”

Kachikwu added that the ADC remains committed to fresh ideas and will not be drawn into recycled battles among the old political class.