The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has defended Atiku Abubakar’s absence
at a reception held for his running mate, Peter Obi in Awka, the
Anambra State capital.
This followed insinuations that Atiku
deliberately shunned the inter-denominational Church service/reception
held for Obi at the weekend.
Director-General of the Atiku/Peter
Campaign Council, Dr. Harry Oranezi, explained that Atiku was not
factored into the programme.
He said it was meant for PDP chieftains, as well as its members and supporters from the state.
Oranezi,
a former member of the House of Representatives, further disclosed that
the event was necessitated by the need to welcome Obi home after his
appointment as Atiku’s running mate.
He added that it was also an
opportunity to show appreciation to the PDP presidential candidate for
the choice of Obi, while seeking God’s guidance to achieve victory in
the forthcoming election.
He said: “The event was an Anambra
State affair, meant for some sons and daughters, including well-wishers
from outside the state to celebrate with us.”
Also, Chairman of
Atiku/Obi Presidential Council, Okoli Akarika, said the grand reception
was purely to welcome and honour Obi as the vice presidential candidate
of PDP.
Akirika, a former Commissioner for Lands, added that the
organisers deemed it fit to also use the occasion to showcase other
candidates from the state who are vying for various positions, from
state to federal levels.
He stressed that the reception was to
further show the Igbo people that it is only the PDP that has their
interest at heart, unlike the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA),
which is working against Igbo interest.
In a related development,
Atiku’s wife, Jennifer yesterday charged the party and its supporters
in Edo to dissociate from poverty by rejecting the ruling All
Progressive Party (APC) in the February 16 election.
Mrs. Atiku,
who spoke at the PDP campaign in Edo Central Senatorial District, said
she came with a message of hope for Esan people and Nigerians.
Chairman
of the PDP in the state, Dan Orbih, said next month’s general elections
was not about the party, but securing a better future for Nigerians and
the country’s hard-earned democracy.
He said the country was
presently drifting towards dictatorship and condemned the appointment of
Amina Zakari as head of INEC’s collation centre.
The party’s
candidate in the 2016 gubernatorial election, Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu
admonished the people to reject APC at the polls, or else the drowning
party would kill Nigeria.
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