APC chieftain urges Atiku to step aside for national unity
Osita Okechukwu, a leader in the All Progressives Congress, has advised Atiku Abubakar to withdraw from the 2027 presidential race and adopt the role of a statesman. Okechukwu argued that Atiku’s decision to contest the 2023 election against his party’s zoning arrangement weakened both the opposition and Nigeria’s democracy. He believes Atiku’s actions in the 2022 PDP primaries triggered a crisis that still affects the party. Okechukwu expressed respect for Atiku but urged him to prioritize national interest over personal ambition.
Key takeaways
- Osita Okechukwu called on Atiku Abubakar to step down from the 2027 presidential race and become a statesman.
- Okechukwu said Atiku’s emergence as PDP presidential candidate in 2022 went against calls to zone the ticket to the South and destabilised the party.
- He claimed the fallout from Atiku’s decision weakened the PDP and had lasting effects on Nigeria’s political landscape.
- Okechukwu criticized Atiku’s complaints about a one-party state, arguing that PDP’s internal choices were to blame for its decline.
- He urged Atiku to put the nation’s interests above personal ambition and help strengthen democracy.
