Convention: SMBLF congratulates Atiku, PDP

FOLLOWING the emergence of former Vice President Abubakar Atiku as the presidential candidate of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the 2019 General Elections, the Southern and Middle Belt Leaders Forum (SMBLF) on Sunday congratulated him on his victory, describing the emergence of Atiku through a keenly contested primary election as a breath of fresh air to the democratic project in Nigeria.

SMBLF said this in a congratulatory message signed by Yinka Odumakin for South-West, Senator Bassey Henshaw (South-South), Prof. Chigozie Ogbu (South-East), Dr Isuwa Dogo (Middle- Belt), copy of which was made available to newsmen in Lagos, expressing the belief that the country can look forward to a robust and healthy competition for the soul of Nigeria come February 2019.

This was just as the Forum quickly reminded the PDP presidential flagbearer of his clear commitment to the fundamental issue of restructuring, which he had made over time and which former leader of the party, Senator Makarfi affirmed as the PDP agenda.

According to the Forum, the emergence of Atiku as PDP presidential candidate in a keenly contested primary, which was adjudged as a free and fair process, is a breath of fresh air to the democratic project in Nigeria which appeared threatened by manipulation of processes in intra-party conduct and general elections.

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“The Southern and Middle Belt Leaders Forum congratulates Alhaji Atiku Abubakar on his emergence as the flag bearer of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) for the 2019 Presidential Election.

“The election of Atiku from a keenly contested primary election in what is generally seen as a free and fair process is a breath of fresh air to the democratic project in Nigeria which appeared threatened by manipulation of processes in intra-party conduct and general elections.

“It is never too early to remind the presidential candidate of the clear commitment to the fundamental issue of restructuring he has made over time and which the former Chairman of the Caretaker Committee of the Party, Senator Makarfi adumbrated as a party agenda,” SMBLF said.

The Forum said it was now clear today that no amount of good governance programmes can get Nigeria out of the woods without a proper structure that can restore Nigeria to productivity under Federalism.

SMBLF saluted all the PDP aspirants for keeping to the promise they earlier made to it (Forum) and to party faithful on the floor of the convention that they would rally round the winner since they knew there can only be one flagbearer emerging from the contest.

It said the PDP, as a party had learnt some useful lessons by organizing the best and freest primary that had been seen in this season, urging the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to take useful tips from the party’s convention.

The Forum said INEC should be aware of fact that the country’s courts would not be filled with petitions nor would there be post-election violence if elections were transparently free, fair and credible.

“For the People’s Democratic Party(PDP), they have shown that they have learnt some useful lessons by organizing the best and freest primary we have seen in this season.

“We enjoin the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to take useful tips from the PDP Convention and know that our courts will not be filled with petitions nor would there be post-election violence if elections are transparently free, fair and credible.

“Now the country can look forward to a robust and healthy competition for the soul of Nigeria, come February 2019,” the Forum said.