. Ex-VP tested, trusted – Abia deputy gov

. Nigeria nearly bankrupt, needs a builder – Former SSG

By Steve Oko

Former Senate President and the Chairman, Board of Trustees, BoT, of the main opposition Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Senator Adolphus Wabara, has said that he had the assurances of the PDP presidential flag bearer, Atiku Abubakar, that the detained Leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, would be released unconditionally within the first 100 days of his presidency if elected.

Wabara who disclosed this at the weekend while canvasing support for the former Vice President during his presidential rally in Umuahia, Abia State, said the marginalisation and political exclusion of Ndigbo would be a thing of the past under the Atiku presidency.

Affirming his assertion later in an interview with Vanguard, Wabara said that Atiku would not renege in his promise to free Kanu from illegal detention.

He said that he had trust in the former Vice President who he said “is a courageous and a man of his words who doesn’t fear any man but God”.

Wabara had during the rally at the Umuahia Township Stadium declared that Atiku was the political Messiah that Nigeria needed for unification.

The former Senate President expressed confidence that Atiku would address most of the boiling issues in the country including restructuring and marginalisation of Ndigbo.

” The good news for us Ndigbo is that Atiku will release our son unconditionally within his first 100 days in office.

” He is a man of his words. He will do the right things. Yes he is the Messiah Nigeria needs now.

” So, if you love Nigeria, vote for PDP. A vote for PDP is a vote for your destiny.”

Wabara revealed that Atiku had privately assured him that he would tackle Nigeria’s multifaceted problems frontally and holistically.

” I have discussed with him. He will not pay lip service to the problems of Nigeria. He is going to tackle them headlong.

” If voted into power, Atiku won’t be like the APC Government that is full of excuses. He will hit the ground running from the day one.”

The former Senate President cautioned Nigerians not to repeat what he called the “2015 error of judgement” which he said, had unleashed hardship on the citizenry.

” Atiku is a unifier that Nigeria needs at this time. In 2015, PDP lost the election and we are all paying dearly today for that error of judgement.

” But we don’t want to suffer that again. The pains of that error of judgement are yet to be healed”.

Similarly, Abia State Deputy Governor and Chairman of Atiku-Okowa Campaign Council in the state, Sir Ude Oko Chukwu, said that Atiku had, while in office as Vice President, demonstrated capacity to effectively run Nigeria if voted as President.

” Atiku is tested and trusted. We know all his imputes while in office as Vice President. I don’t think any other candidate can match him!”

The Deputy Governor boasted that Abia would massively vote for Atiku and other PDP candidates being a stronghold of the party since 1999.

” Abia is PDP and PDP is Abia. Since 1999 till date Abia has been PDP. Be assured that Abia will deliver 5/5. You will be impressed with our result.”

Speaking with Vanguard, the immediate-past Secretary to State Government, SSG, Abia State, Dr Eme Okoro, said he was supporting Atiku because “Atiku has the experience and clout to rebuild Nigeria”.

” Atiku has the clout to rebuild the country with a team of people who also have expertise in specific areas of development.

” Nigeria is in dire need of a builder; we are in dire need of somebody with the clout, knowledge and exposure.

” Therefore, I will be happy to have him become President of Nigeria because today, Nigeria is nearly bankrupt. Look at how much money we spend in servicing debt. Look at the what is happening to our currency.

” Look at what we pass through to get fuel. One day we will find it difficult to get water.”

Asked why some Igbo political elite were rather championing the Atiku presidency instead of throwing their weight behind the Labour Party candidate, Mr Peter Obi who is one of their own, the former SSG said he was not opposed to Nigeria President of Igbo extraction but strategic alliance was necessary.

” My thinking is that the Igbo must be given a chance to produce a President but that calls for strategic planning, strategic thinking and strategic alliances.

” No one ethnic group can produce a President without support from other ethnic groups. My position with respect to Obi is that he is capable, knowledgeable and has shown that he has the capacity to do that.

“That’s why many of us who had agreed with Obi had said that he should partner in strategic alliance with Atiku abinitio. That’s why many of us who worked with Obi believed that the pair of Atiku and Obi can redirect this country.

“I’m not opposed to an Igbo being President but I’m saying that Igbo are spending more time agonising than organising.

” I’m of the view that even if Obi wins, there must be a National Government. If Atiku wins, there must be a National Government – a Government that must take into consideration the inputs, knowledge and capacity of the Igbo ethnic group.

” I’m not one of the believers that Obi must win or that Atiku must win. I’m a believer in a National organization that will produce President of Igbo extraction through strategic alliance”.