Atiku visits Makarfi in Kaduna, says consensus candidate possible
Former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar yesterday visited former governor of Kaduna State, Ahmed Makarfi and confirmed that presidential aspirants of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) are working towards choosing the party’s flag bearer.
The former Vice President, who met with Makarfi for close to an hour at his residence, said they are however guided by the need to produce the best among them.
He said, “we are all members of the same family and we are working together to ensure that PDP produces the best candidate for the next election, so that PDP can return to power.
“I am a democrat and I have always worked with anyone that emerged, so I am ready to work with anyone who emerges through credible elections.”
The former Vice President said Nigeria’s leadership must be changed in the 2019 general elections for the country to move forward.
He said, “the misadministration of the APC government is very evident; we have the highest record of unemployment since 1999, we have the highest inflation and we have multiple exchange rate that discourages foreign investment. We also have the highest level of insecurity since 1999.
“We are disunited this time more than ever before, people are angry, people are poorer more than anytime. I mean, if Nigeria is the headquarters of poverty in the world…
“This is unthinkable for a country that is endowed with human and natural resources like ours, just because of lack of clear headed leadership and direction.”
The Wazirin Adamawa told Makarfi that he felt it was necessary to visit him with his campaign train ahead of the party’s national convention.
He commended Makarfi who is also a presidential aspirant of the PDP for steering the party through a turbulent period when he was the party’s caretaker committee chairman.
Makarfi, who also spoke during the visit reminded the former VP of their various struggles working for the party in the past, saying Atiku is capable and qualified to lead the party.
The former governor said he has nothing to lose if Atiku picks the party’s presidential ticket.
“I am ready to work with any of the aspirants who emerges, that is why I even said that because I am willing to work with some of them, I won’t even step into their states.
“I am not averse to Alhaji Atiku Abubakar becoming the party’s candidate, just like he is not also averse to me becoming the party’s candidate, it is a family issue, we are talking and we will keep on talking,” he said.