PDP group asks Atiku to bury presidential ambition

A coalition of Niger Delta Group of the People Democratic Party (PDP) has called on former Vice President Atiku Abubakar to take up a leadership role instead of contesting ticket of the party for 2019 election.

In a statement signed Wednesday by the Chairman and Secretary of the group, Harry Lawson and Preye Wilson, welcomed Atiku back to the party.

“However, we welcome Atiku Abubakar back to the PDP, the party which he called his home. We are happy he has realised his wrong decisions and is back to make amends.

“Nevertheless, we wish to tell him that if PDP is truly his home as he has claimed, then we expect that he plays nothing less than a leadership role in the party. He should channel all his efforts towards the reconstruction, strengthening and building a strong political base for the party. He should truly be a leader and help the party develop winning strategies. He should help in reconciling and bringing back aggrieved members.

“We from the Niger Delta are still nursing the wounds over the role he played that frustrated the re-election of former President Goodluck Jonathan in 2015. We are also aware that Atiku is wielding so much financial lobby in the Niger Delta to  gather support for his Presidential ambition.

“We call on all the leaders from the region especially Senator Ben-Murray Bruce not to fall for his inducements but courageously advice him to be an exemplary leader and allow those who have been dedicated their energy and time to the party to take the shot.

“We expect that the former Vice President should for now bury his Presidential ambition as a display of uncommon leadership and as part of his atonement. He should rather work towards assisting the party to produce an impeccable and credible candidate that will help PDP wrestle the Presidency from the ruling All Progressives Congress, come 2019.

“We expect that Atiku should work with whoever will emerge as the next chairman of the party and the next presidential flag bearer and resist the urge of abandoning the umbrella once again if his dream is not actualized.”

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