Atiku Abubakar Is Not Pre-Occupied With 2019 Presidency – Group

A socio-political group, The Turaki Vanguard, has said that former Nigeria’s Vice President Atiku Abubakar is not preoccupied with running for Presidency in the 2019 election.
In a statement today, Tuesday, the Coordinator of the group, Dimeji Fabiyi, said: “it will be appropriate to mention that 2019 is still a long way away, and neither Mr. Adewale nor anyone else in his cohort can play God in deciding what happens tomorrow. On that premise, the Turakin Adamawa is not currently pre-occupied with 2019 and any possibilities that year can hold. He is more committed to working with his party, the APC to overcome the challenges of the current economic recession and making life better for Nigerians, expanding the national dialogue towards creating a political structure that works for every Nigerian.”
The Coordinator, who was reacting to a statement by the factional Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Lagos State, Segun Adewale, to the effect that Atiku has a hand in the lingering crisis in the erstwhile ruling party, said that Atiku currently has his plate full with issues of education, entrepreneurship and jobs creation; “certainly, 2019 isn’t a menu in that plate.”
He insisted that Atiku remains a committed member of the All Progressives Congress and has nothing to do with the crisis rocking the PDP.
“We are alarmed to read the account of Mr. Segun Adewale on the crisis bedevilling the erstwhile ruling Peoples Democratic Party and our consternation is more confounding because of the witless attempt by the factional chairman of the PDP in Lagos State to string the Turakin Adamawa to the crisis in the PDP.
“For the umpteenth time, Atiku Abubakar remains a committed member of the ruling APC and he is not in any way tangible connected to the crisis in the PDP or any other political party. Mr. Adewale also made spurious allegations about the Turakin Adamawa nursing a presidential ambition for 2019.
“In our opinion as a socio-political group loyal to the political cause of Atiku Abubakar, it will be a welcome development if indeed Atiku decides to contest for the president in 2019, but it will not be asking for too much if the Adewales of this world at least, let that decision come from Atiku Abubakar rather than foist it down as cheap campaign of calumny.” [myad]