Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has railed against moves in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to make him ineligible to contest the 2023 presidential election.
The PDP had earlier zoned the national chairman of the party to the North in preparation of announcing the South as the zone to produce the party’s presidential candidate.
The move may disqualify Atiku, a northerner from participating in the 2023 presidential election.
At the party’s national executive committee (NEC) today, Atiku makes a strong appeal for the party to leave the presidency open to any region.
“The Peoples Democratic Party has the right to determine its rules and how the party should be governed. The people of Nigeria also have the right to determine who governs them.
“Where the president comes from has never been the problem of Nigeria. I can cite examples — neither will it be the solution.
“There is no such thing as a president from southern Nigeria or a president from northern Nigeria. There is only one — a president from Nigeria, for Nigeria and by Nigerians.
“Talking about inclusion, I will like to see a new national working committee of our party that has sizeable numbers of youths and women.
“The decision of NEC today will either see us PDP in the villa in 2023 or not. Since the inception, this party has faced serious challenges and has risen above sentiment to solve those challenges and move forward.”