Despite the clamour for power to shift to the South after President Muhammadu Buhari’s two terms of eight years, former Vice-President, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, has said he is confident that he will win the 2023 presidential ticket of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

Atiku stated this yesterday when visited former President Olusegun Obasanjo in Abeokuta, Ogun State to seek support for his presidential aspiration.

Atiku arrived at the Hilton Towers of Obasanjo at exactly 10:10 am and was received by the former president.

Though the details of the visit were not made known to journalists as the two leaders met behind closed doors, sources close to the former president said Atiku came to seek Obasanjo’s support for his presidential ambition.

The main challenger of President Muhammadu Buhari in the 2019 presidential election on the platform of the PDP has defied the clamour for power rotation and has been going around the country, consulting with political heavyweights on his undeclared ambition to occupy the much-coveted seat in Aso Rock in 2023.

During an interview with journalists after holding a closed-door meeting with his former boss, Atiku challenged youths in the country to also compete with elders for elective office in 2023, including the office of the president.

The former vice president’s statement, came just as youth groups under the aegis of Southern Youth Alliance (SOYA), at a news conference in Abeokuta asked him to break his silence and declare in the affirmative, to contest for the nation’s presidency.

The youth group, which was joined by some PDP members at the Ogun State party secretariat, said they were not comfortable with the seeming silence or reluctance of Atiku in declaring his intention to contest the presidential election.

When asked about his mission to the Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library Complex and the call that youth should be given chance, Atiku said:

I came to see my boss but remained silent on what was discussed during about an hour-long meeting.

I came to meet my boss. We will let you know when I declared, we will give a formal announcement.

Have I ever failed to get the ticket? Let the youths compete with the elders. It is competition. It is a democracy,

Atiku said.

Atiku later proceeded to the palace of Alake of Egbaland, Oba Adedotun Gbadebo, in Ake, Abeokuta where he reminisced on his relationship with the people of Ogun State and Egbaland in particular.

Atiku did not disclose his political ambition at the palace but the revered monarch prayed that God will grant him his heart desires.

Armed with placards of various inscriptions highlighting qualities of Atiku, the youth group yesterday asked him to come out clearly about his ambition.

Some of the placards read: “Southern Youth Say Atiku Run Run Run;’ ‘Atiku Will Create Jobs for Youth;’ ‘Atiku Will Fix Economy If Elected;’ ‘Age Has Nothing to Do With Competence;’ ‘Atiku Has Competence and Character among others.’

Addressing journalists at the event, the SOYA President, Comrade Ridwan Ismaheel, said the challenge before Nigeria as a nation, requires a search for a leader who, from his antecedents, is fit for the precarious situation that the country has found itself.

Justin Nwosu

Justin Nwosu is the founder and publisher of Flavision. His core interest is in writing unbiased news about Nigeria in particular and Africa in general. He’s a strong adherent of investigative journalism, with a bent on exposing corruption, abuse of power and societal ills.