Atiku who stated this during a consultative meeting in Umuahia with the leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Abia State in Umuahia, insisted that he remains the shortest way to actualize the emergence of a Nigeria President of Igbo extraction.
The former vice president who was represented by the Chairman of the Technical Committee for Abubakar Atiku presidential project, Chief Raymond Alegho Dokpesi, boasted that he has the capacity to wrestle power from the ruling All Progressive Congress, (APC) and save Nigeria from total collapse.
“Alhaji Abubakar Atiku is the surest bet; he is the shortest cut to a South East Presidency. The truth is that he will be about 80 years then. We only need him to rescue Nigeria now. We are confronted with heavy challenges as a nation. Once we lay the foundation for restructuring and for pushing Nigeria forward, then he will exit. He is not coming because he is hungry but he has an agenda, and the agenda is Nigeria.
“We are in a grave situation in Nigeria. We need to unite. We need to take power from these impostors that have ceased power and ran Nigeria aground. If I’m alive till then I will go naked in one man march if South East is not given the presidency. I will put my life on the line. I will never be silent. It’s a matter of timing. Those clamouring for Southern presidency now are APC governors and they are doing so for selfish reasons. Buhari has never respected the equity provision in our constitution. Bala Mohammed committee report said two zones that are yet to occupy the presidency need to be assuaged and the two zones are the South East and North East. Which of the zones can easily wrestle power now?
Dokpesi used the opportunity of the visit to dispel what he described as rumours against him in the South East, stressing that most of his associates come from the zone.
“I don’t have anything against the South East. I never said nobody from the South East can be President. Bloody lie! I never said so. I used my platforms – AIT and Ray Power Radio to cover the lifetime of Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu, Chukwuemeka Ezeife, and other Igbo sons, at no cost but my own cost. I gave them free airtime that runs in millions of Naira.
“Nigeria is bleeding and at the brinks of collapse. As PDP we owe this nation, ourselves, and the future the responsibily to rescue this country. We have to come together as one people. We must not allow the evil forces to totally ruin the future of our children. I will not sleep well in my grave if I fold my hands and fail to act now. Don’t leave me alone in the struggle. Let’s support Atiku Abubakar to rescue Nigeria”.
In his remarks, Chairman of the PDP in Abia State, Chief Allwell Asiforo Okere, expressed hope that God would rescue the country from bad governance in 2023.
He described Atiku as a great man who had played key role in the development of democracy in Nigeria.