A former Vice President and chieftain of
the All Progressives Congress, Atiku Abubakar, has said that it is
dangerous for any individual or group within the APC to constitute
themselves into an opposition even before the constitution of President
Muhammadu Buhari’s government.
He also expressed his loyalty to President Buhari.
The former Vice President made the call
against the backdrop of development in the polity, which he noted were
interplay of forces and dynamic interests that should not be promoted to
the point of being a threat to democracy and the new administration.
In
a press statement released by his media office in Abuja on Sunday, and
signed by Mazi Paul Ibe, the Turaki Adamawa acknowledged that it was
legitimate and desirable for individuals or groups to pursue their
interests.
He, however, noted that such should be done with the spirit of equity, fair play and justice.
“Anything to the contrary may jeopardise
our hard-earned democracy and constitute a clog in the wheel of the new
administration,” Atiku said.
He noted that because of the historic
nature of the mandate of President Buhari and the arduous challenges
ahead to deliver on making Nigeria work for all Nigerians, it was
important, especially for members of the APC, to rally behind him in the
quest to enthrone good governance.
This, he said, would spur security and
stability, economic and social development, job creation, infrastructure
renewal and above all a better life for Nigerians.
The former Vice President urged members
of the APC to emulate the unity of all the presidential contestants
after the party’s Lagos primaries and support the President to form his
government and get to work.
Abubakar exonerated himself from the
purported hijack of the party and the National Assembly towards 2019 as a
figment of the imagination of those promoting such insinuation.
He asked Nigerians to ignore all such insinuation.
Atiku noted that the recent outcomes of
the National Assembly leadership election, contrary to insinuations were
products of “interplay of politics which is itself in constant motion.”
He said, “In politics, it is a mistake
to expect fixed outcomes. As the President has done, let’s all come to
terms with what has happened in the interest of the system and move on.
“Suffice it to say that the new
administration should be allowed to have a smooth take off and be
allowed the atmosphere to deliver. On this, I stand with President
Buhari.”
The Turaki Adamawa while restating his
unalloyed commitment to the Buhari administration pledged to back this
commitment with all of the assets at his disposal.
The statement added that, “Not only did
Atiku Abubakar congratulate Buhari after his emergence as the
presidential candidate of the APC at the party’s national convention in
Lagos, he also handed over his best assets to the Buhari Presidential
Campaign.
“The former Vice President
enthusiastically handled the diplomatic assignment of seeking
endorsement for Dr. Akinwunmi Adesina as the President of the African
Development Bank on behalf of President Buhari and would be available
for any other assignments as the President pleases.
“Make no mistake about it, Atiku
Abubakar holds Buhari in the highest esteem, and would always remain
loyal to him, and support him in every endeavour to succeed as
President.”
The APC chieftain also called on
Nigerians with members of the President’s own party taking a lead in
their undiluted support of his administration.
“We, the members of the President’s own
family need to lead in this direction for others to follow for the good
of our nation and its peoples,” he added.
Abubakar also denounced the increasing
determination of some people who he said were bent on drawing a wedge
between President Buhari and himself.
“It has become crystal clear even to the
blind that the motives of these hatchet men who are desperate to take
every available newspaper space is to insult and vilify the former Vice
President.
“We cannot allow liars, denigrators and
blackmailers and their sponsors to use Atiku as a platform to ingratiate
themselves with President Buhari and hijack his presidency under the
pretext of loving him more than anyone else.
“These political ventriloquists are
hiding behind the cover of anonymity to achieve their sinister agenda of
making Atiku the fall guy in the unfolding political developments.”
