Following last weekend’s publications of personal particulars of all candidates for the Presidential and National Assembly candidates concluded by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar, has appealed to Nigerians to assess him with his track records when he served the country as vice-president under the Obasanjo Government.
He made this appeal even as he agreed with the Supreme Court’s ruling regarding the Electoral Act, arguing that it was necessary to ensure the independence of the court.
In a statement on Sunday, Atiku, said, ‘Our assets in this campaign are my track records of performance, when I served as vice-president between 1999 and 2007.
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”The second asset is the policy document that details the work plan of what we shall do to rescue Nigeria back to her glorious heights. Above all, my attributes as a unifier and bridge-builder will stand us in good stead in this era characterised by disunity and absence of inclusion,’ he added.
The former vice-president went further to add that, ‘Our opponents will want to confuse you with alternative facts as we progress and when the campaign starts in full. But I will urge you to always reman focused and remember that this is not why we are in the race.
‘The urgency of the job to get Nigeria back on her feet as ONE People, with One Future and ONE Country cannot give us the luxury of playing to the gallery.
‘My promise to you as we run this race together is that as your candidate, I shall ensure that we remain focused and disciplined. And I shall expect the same spirit of sportsmanship from you,’ he said.
The former vice president said the 2023 election was neither about him nor any of the other candidates that he was contesting with or their agents, rather, he said, ‘It is about the pathway that our dear country, Nigeria, must chart into a brighter and more prosperous future.’
While commending the judgement, Atiku said, it was one of the ways to affirm the independence of the judiciary in Nigeria
The supreme court had struck out the suit challenging section 84(12) of the Electoral Act.
