PDP calls Atiku ‘symbol of national unity’ as backlash trails ‘north needs northerner’ remark

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has described Atiku Abubakar, its presidential candidate, as a “symbol of national unity”. 

The opposition party was reacting to the criticisms trailing the comments made by Abubakar on Saturday.

While speaking in an interactive session of the Arewa townhall policy dialogue in Kaduna, the former vice-president said northerners need a president who hails from the north, not someone from an Igbo or Yoruba extraction. 

Abubakar’s remarks have elicited backlash from Nigerians and political groups, with the All Progressives Congress (APC) saying he is desperate and not fit to be in charge of the country.

But in a statement issued on Sunday, Debo Ologunagba, PDP spokesperson, said Abubakar’s comment was taken out of context, adding that he “will never set any part of our country against the other”.

“The PDP dismisses the attempt by the malignant APC to accuse the PDP Presidential Candidate, Atiku Abubakar of playing ethnic and tribal politics,” the statement reads.

“The PDP describes as shameless and irresponsible that the APC will go to the extent of deliberately distorting, doctoring, misinterpreting and taking out of context, the comment by the PDP Presidential Candidate at a Stakeholders’ meeting in Kaduna State on Sunday in a bid to smear his image as a Pan-Nigerian leader.

“For clarity and avoidance of doubt, Atiku Abubakar remains a Pan-Nigerian leader, a symbol of national unity, cohesion and tolerance who is comfortable and loved in all parts of the country. He had never and will never set any part of our country against the other as being mischievously hyped by the APC.

“To set the record straight, the PDP Presidential Candidate, in responding within the context of the question put to him at the event noted that he had built bridges across the country and that what Nigerians including an average northerner need was a Pan-Nigerian leader and not an ethnic champion.”

Ologunagba added that “Nigerians are wise and can fully understand the contextual import of the statement by Atiku Abubakar which is that what Nigerians need is a competent and Pan-Nigerian leader and not a regionally inclined individual”.

“We know that the APC is jittery over the overwhelming popularity of Atiku Abubakar across the nation because of his focus on issues that will improve the lives of Nigerians and as such the APC is desperate to smear his Pan-Nigerian standing,” he said.

Also reacting to the criticisms, Paul Ibe, Abubakar’s media adviser, said people have been “hoodwinked” about what the former vice-president said at the event.

“What transpired was a direct question on why Atiku should be voted for by the northern electorate,” he said.

“Atiku explained without a slur, that what matters the most to the northern electorate is a candidate who has built bridges of unity across other parts of the country and not necessarily a northern candidate who lacks the credentials of national spread and acceptability.”