Atiku in Benin For Consultations, says he is not desperate to be President

ON a consultation visit to Edo state in his quest to grab the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) ticket in next year presidential election, former Vice President Alhaji Atiku Abubakar on Tuesday said he is not desperate to be the nation’s president.

Coming on the heels of Monday visit of another PDP presidential aspirant, Alhaji Mohammed Makarfi, Atiku who spoke with journalists shortly after his meeting with the Oba of Benin Omo amN’Oba Square 11 in his palace in Benin City said if he were desperate to be the nation’s president, he would have long achieved it and would not have stepped down for Chief Moshood Abiola of the defunct Social Democratic Party (SDP), the widely acclaimed winner of the June 12, 1993, presidential election.

He said: “What do you expect my critics to say. And there is nothing wrong with entering the race. I can run as many times as possible. I am fit, qualified. I still have ideas that I believe that are going to put this country in the right part.

“So, what is wrong in running? I am not desperate and if I were desperate, I would have taken the presidency in 2003. If I were desperate, I would not have stepped down for Abiola. I am not desperate”,

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The PDP presidential hopeful said his decision to throw his hat in the ring was borne out of his desire for improving the lots of Nigerians.

He aasured that he will remain in the opposition party even if he lose out in the fortcoming primaries of the party.