From Magnus Eze, Enugu
The Zikist-Aminu Kano Patriots (ZAP) has said that the recent endorsement of Labour Party (LP) presidential candidate, Peter Obi by former President Olusegun Obasanjo aligns with the original stance of his deputy and presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar.
The group stated this against the backdrop of the statement made by the PDP presidential spokesman of the Peoples Democratic Party’s (PDP), Charles Aniagwu.
Defending Atiku’s decision to contest the ticket of the PDP, Aniagwu said it was not Atiku that made the zoning open, explaining that “there was a contest between the South and the North and Atiku was considered by members of the party as the man capable of leading Nigerians out of the woods.”
Spokesman to ZAP, Dr. Steve Igweze, however, said that Obasanjo’s choice of Obi resonates with Atiku Abubakar’s belief that 2023 was the turn for South East to produce President Muhammadu Buhari’s successor. He said it was unfair for Fulani to succeed another Fulani in a multi-ethno-religious country.
Igweze said PDP presidential campaign council’s attempt to dismiss Obasanjo’s endorsement of Obi should be seen as a self-serving after-thought.
“For us in the Zikist-Aminu Kano Patriots, Obasanjo’s endorsement is in fulfilment of Alhaji Atiku Abubukar’s innermost mind on micro zoning the 2023 Presidency to the Southeast, before some unpatriotic elements selfishly pushed him to use his Dubai-Machiavellian war-chest to jettison equity, fairness in the PDP presidential primary, which created G-5-Wike masquerade albatross.”
On claims by the PDP that the party’s choice of Atiku was a smart move to win the Presidency with or without Obasanjo’s endorsement, ZAP said it was impossible for PDP and Atiku to pull the northern votes as they contemplate.