Leon Usigbe – Abuja
Former vice president and presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar, has dismissed insinuation that he has a favoured aspirant among those jostling for the party’s gubernatorial ticket in Kogi state.
In a statement by his media adviser, Paul Ibe, on Tuesday, Atiku advocated a level-playing field in the forthcoming exercise, saying that reports suggesting that any of the aspirants have his backing should be disregarded.
The statement reads: “The attention of the former Vice President of Nigeria and Presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party in the 2023 election, Atiku Abubakar has been drawn to several media reports insinuating his involvement in the democratic process of electing the gubernatorial flag bearer for the Peoples Democratic Party in the upcoming Kogi State governorship election.
“We wish to state categorically that such media reports are a false and gross fabrication.
“Atiku is a consummate democrat and the hallmark of his political struggles has been for the enablement of internal democracy in party politics.
“It is, therefore, absurd to suggest that Atiku has a preferred candidate in the primary election to produce the governorship candidate of the PDP in the Kogi State election – or in any primary election, for that matter.
“For the avoidance of any doubts, Atiku Abubakar has no anointed candidate in the Kogi state primary election.
“He believes that the decision to elect the flag bearer of the PDP in the coming election in the confluence state is the responsibility of electors in that primary election.
“He, therefore, urges anyone amongst the candidates to desist from peddling influence with his name and, indeed, calls on the media not to lay prostrate to any blackmail against him.
“Atiku believes that all the aspirants in the election are up to the task of flying the flag of our great party, the PDP and the electors should be given the unfettered rights to perform their constituted duty of electing the best person for the PDP.”
READ ALSO FROM NIGERIAN TRIBUNE
