LP Presidential Campaign Council Knocks Atiku Over Anti-Yoruba, Igbo Comment

The presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar, has been berated for his ethnocentric comment at a political event.

Naija News reports that Atiku stirred controversy over the weekend when he said Northerners do not need any Yoruba or Igbo candidate as the next Nigerian President.

Atiku, during an interactive session with Arewa Joint Committee on Saturday in Kaduna State, said Northerners need to vote for him because he is a Pan-Nigerian with a northern extraction that has built bridges across the country.

He had said: “What the average Northerner needs is somebody who’s from the north and also understands that part of the country and has been able to build bridges across the country.

“This is what the Northerner needs, it doesn’t need a Yoruba or Igbo candidate, I stand before you as a Pan-Nigerian of northern origin.”

Following the development, the former Vice President and PDP presidential flagbearer came under fire for his ethnocentric statement.

Reacting in an interview with The Punch, the Chief Spokesman of the Obi-Datti Presidential Campaign Council, Yunusa Tanko, asked Atiku to apologize to Nigerians for his divisive statement.

Tanko maintained that the PDP presidential candidate should tender an unreserved apology to Nigerians in the interest of the country’s unity and democracy.

He stated that it is wrong for Atiku or anybody whether in a position of authority to use the ethnic card to campaign or gather support.

He said, “What we observed is that it is unfair for somebody who had been in the saddle of leadership of this country to play the ethnic card as a way of generating support.

“Our principal has made it clear long before now that even when people are trying to play ethnic agenda, nobody should look at him as an Igbo candidate. Our movement is a Nigerian project for the Nigerian people.

“So, in the interest of our democracy and unity of this country, which of course we represent, I think the former vice-president should apologise to Nigerians in such a way that it would show him as a true leader of a free country.

“Our principal has made it clear too that if there are issues that have to do with his co-candidate, he would be able to answer them personally. I know he actually prefers to speak on issues like this personally.”

However, the former vice president has clarified his controversial statement, saying that he was misquoted.