BY TIMOTHY AGBOR
The All Progressives Congress and some Nigerians have condemned the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, Atiku Abubakar, for saying that northerners don’t need a Yoruba or Igbo candidate in 2023.
Abubakar at an interactive session with the Arewa Joint Committee on Saturday had said the northerners only needed their kinsman to succeed President Muhammadu Buhari who is a northerner.
While addressing his kinsmen at the programme, he said, “I have traversed the whole of this country. I know the whole of this country. I have built bridges across the whole of this country. I think what the northerners need is someone who is from the north and also understands the other parts of Nigeria, who has built bridges across the country. This is what a northerner needs. He doesn’t need a Yoruba candidate or an Igbo candidate.”
However, Atiku’s comment has been greeted with criticism with the APC asking Atiku to resign as the candidate of PDP saying the former Vice President of the country was using ethnicity to campaign despite claiming to unify the country.
Especially on social media, many Nigerians slammed him for allegedly canvassing for votes along ethnic lines.
In his post on his verified Twitter handle, the presidential campaign spokesperson for the APC, Festus Keyamo, asked Atiku to quit the race over his comment.
Keyamo tweeted, “This is the height of desperation & daredevilry on the part of Atiku! This is so horrendous, so horrible & so thoughtless for Atiku Abubakar to use ethnicity to campaign, saying the North does not need a YORUBA OR IBO candidate? My God! Atiku needs to quit the race TODAY!”
Branding expert, Chidi Okereke, tweeted, “Tinubu wants people like El-Rufai to stay so they can turn a rotten situation to a bad one.
“Atiku told the ACF that northerners need a Northern president, not Yoruba or Igbo. In one day. In a sane country, Obi would have already won this election but Naija moves different.”
A tweep, Dr Hafsatu Danladi, lashed out at Atiku saying, “Nigerians from North to South must reject Atiku Abubakar. We all must unite to save Nigeria from politicians who are willing to destroy us for their selfish political gains.
“Buhari is a Northerner. The North don’t need a Northerner, the North needs a competent leader.”
Another tweep, Chris, said, “Atiku is playing tribal card in the North then playing the “Unifier” card in the South.”
For tweep, Emmy King, Atiku’s comment is no surprise. He said, “Please don’t get it twisted. Atiku is married to women from different tribes of Nigeria. That is what he means when he calls himself, a unifier. Know this and know peace.”
