Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has dismissed as “sponsored
stories,” reports by a section of the media to the effect that the All
Progressives Congress (APC) of which he is a chieftain had zoned him out
of the presidential contest following a new arrangement.
A statement issued by the Atiku Media Office quoted the former Vice
President as saying at no time did the party’s Convention Planning
Committee or its recently-dissolved Interim National Executive Council
(NEC) discuss the issue of zoning of elective offices outside the
positions of leadership of the party which he said, were filled at the
highly successful convention held on Friday.
“As for the presidential ticket, the position of all organs of the party
is that it is open to all Nigerians irrespective of where they come from,”
Atiku said.
The statement described as “a hatchet job for Aso Rock” a front page lead
story in today’s edition of a newspaper titled “Atiku Zoned Out” wondering
why the presidency is scared of the prospect of Dr Jonathan facing Atiku
in 2015.
It also accused the newspaper of abandoning principles and its
responsibility to the public “by uncritically accepting and mechanically
reproducing editorials, opinions and reports” from the Villa.
“Atiku’s chances have never been better, given the climate of democracy
and freedom in the APC” said the media office, which also disclosed that
the former Vice President will at any moment from now be making a
pronouncement on if, when and how he will be making a declaration.
It conveyed Atiku’s appeal to all his well-wishers, supporters and the
general public to disregard these false reports emanating from the
presidency, which are designed to deter him from offering his services to
Nigerians.