By Meletus EZE
The Deputy National Coordinator of the Atiku Political Associates (APA), Chief Dr Mike Audu, has advised all members of the association to embark on mass grassroots mobilisation of Nigerians and registered political parties for the victory of the Presidential Candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar, in the 2019 general elections.
Audu made the call at the inaugural meeting of the group held on Saturday in Abuja.
APA is one of the support groups working to ensure that Abubakar and his running mate, Chief Peter Obi,were elected as President and Vice President of of Nigeria during the 2019 polls.
Audu said that the association had vowed to do everything within the laws of the land to galvanise and mobilise over 50 million Nigerians to vote for Atiku/Obi in 2019.
“I urge all our members to brace up to the challenge ahead of us.
Audu said that Abubakar became the flag bearer of PDP not by chance, but by hard work and dedication.
“It is the responsibility of all our members to go to all the nooks and crannies of our country, Nigeria by campaigning based on issues for Atiku/Obi ticket.”
He said that the aims and objectives of the group were to canvass and solicit for support across the 774 Local Government Areas in the country for the election of Atiku/Obi in 2019.
“To create a dynamic platform for the mobilisation of grassroots supporters for Abubakar in all the wards and Polling units in Nigeria.
“To create awareness for proper election processes and procedures.
“To promote easy data analysis and accessibility for the purpose of a successful Presidential election by 2019 in Nigeria, ” he said.
Audu expressed confidence in the leadership quality of Abubakar to lead Nigeria, saying he had demonstrated his leadership qualities in government and private sector.
“That is why we all spent our time and resources to gather here today because of the 100 per cent trust we all have in the Atiku/Obi Ticket.”
He expressed confidence in the current leadership of the PDP, saying I will be bold to say PDP is wearing a new garment which Nigerians have to believe in.
The National Coordinator of the group, Mr Peremobowei Ebebi, advised members of various support groups for Abubakar to make the neccessary sacrifice including their time and resources to ensure the emergence of Abubakar as president of Nigeria.
“We need to sacrifice everything we need to put in to actualise the success of Atiku come 2019 and not expecting anything from Abubakar to do the work.
Ebebi, a former Deputy Governor of Bayelsa, advised political parties and their support groups to key into peaceful and issue-based campaigns as Nigeria approached the 2019 general elections.
“It is not worth it that a supporter dies in the course of campaigns. Even the supporters I want to advise them to keep to the rules. Let them not take laws into their hands and die in the process.”
Also speaking at occasion, former Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Alhaji Aba Gana, expressed confidence that Abubakar would win the 2019 presidential election.
The former minister urged the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to ensure that the 2019 elections were credible, and also called on security agencies to be neutral.
Highlights of the occasion include the inauguration of the group’s executives at various levels.
