Leaders and elders from the six geo-political zones in the country, Sunday, endorsed Atiku Abubakar, the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), as their preferred candidate for the February 16 general election.
This formed part of the resolutions at a meeting tagged: ‘Summit of Nigerian Leaders and Elders’ attended by Ayo Fasanmi (Afenifere), Dr. Pogu Bitrus (Middle Belt Forum), Ango Abdullahi (Northern Elders Forum), Edwin Clark (Pan Niger Delta Forum), John Nwodo (Ohanaeze Ndigbo) and Buba Galadima, held at Ladi Kwali Hall, Sheraton Hotel, Abuja.
But, All Progressives Congress, APC presidential campaign council has slammed the endorsement of Atiku by the forums, alleging that it was orchestrated by PDP sympathisers.
A statement by Festus Keyamo, director, strategic communications of the campaign council, and issued on Sunday, February 3, said, “We read, with amusement, two developments in the press today which underscore the desperate situation Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) finds itself right now.
The statement entitled “Its voodoo endorsement and voodoo projection” noted “These developments are the so-called PDP-induced ‘endorsement’ of its candidate, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar by a few individuals claiming, albeit falsely, to represent their respective regions. These are PANDEF, Northern Elders’ Forum (NEF), Ohaneze Ndigbo, a tiny faction of Afenifere and Middle Belt Forum.
Before now, the forums said the decision not to support President Muhammadu Buhari, currently seeking re-election on the platform of the APC was based on the current President’s loss of control of government.
They also accused the President of dividing the country.
