A Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) support group, known as the PDP Action 2023, has advised former vice president Atiku Abubakar not to contest for the 2023 presidential election.
The group’s Chairman, Mr Rufus Omeire, gave the advice in a statement issued in Abuja on Wednesday.
The group advised Abubakar to rather seek to become the chairman of the party’s Board of Trustees (BoT), and not to be the party presidential candidate for 2023.
It noted that Abubakar, who lost the 2019 presidential election to President Muhammadu Buhari, would be 77 years old in 2023, hence the age would no longer be on his side to run.
The group also accused Abubakar of abandoning the party and Nigerians after the 2019 general elections.
“It is very shameful that since he lost the presidential election, he moved to Dubai, abandoning all members of PDP, all the stakeholders, and millions of ordinary Nigerians who voted for him and PDP in 2019.
“It is a betrayal of trust for Abubakar to neglect the feelings and sacrifices of ordinary voters who supported him and PDP in 2019.
“Now 2023 elections are once again at hand, he has returned and started politicking once again. Apparently, the only thing he is very good at, is politics.”
The group also accused Abubakar of abandoning the party at its time of crisis but to come around during presidential election.
“Also, he is widely considered detached from the PDP anytime the party is in turbulence, but only gets active in party affairs when it’s about time for presidential nominations.
“Several groups and individuals in the PDP have accused him of abandoning them shortly after he lost the 2019 presidential election,” the statement read in part.
The group said that since Abubakar returned from Morocco he had not attended to PDP crisis, but only visited Governors Nyesom Wike of Rivers, Godwin Obaseki of Edo and Udom Emmanuel of Akwa Ibom States.
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It added that Abubakar also attended the funeral of the father of Gov. Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta.
It also noted that Abubakar thereafter moved to Edo to meet Obaseki.
“However, as the PDP was embroiled in crises, two weeks ago, one would have thought that as the last flag bearer of the party, that he would stay engaged to find a solution. No.
“He rather travelled to Morocco to see his new wife. Of course he is entitled to his family life and privileges.”
He expressed surprise that Abubakar in his letter to the PDP National Working Committee claimed that he has been living in Dubai to improve on his education, to learn how to rule Nigeria.
“We think that time has come for Abubakar to step aside and allow others, preferably the younger generation, to step forward.
“He can be asked to take the position of the Chairman PDP Board of Trustees where he will play an advisory role to younger politicians, as an elder statesman.”
It described PDP ACTION 2023, as a group desirous of assisting the PDP to play its appropriate role as the main opposition platform in Nigeria, and focused on helping to deliver good governance for Nigeria.
He expressed optimism that the party’s governors would address the PDP leadership crisis.
“The current crisis in PDP is a normal struggle in party politics.
“We believe PDP Governors and stakeholders will soon resolve the crisis and PDP will emerge stronger.
“For PDP to achieve this aim, it should present an acceptable candidate for President in 2023,” it advised.