How Atiku predicted PDP would destroy Nigeria in 2014, said APC is his last bus-stop

How Atiku predicted PDP would destroy Nigeria in 2014, said APC is his last bus-stop

Former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar, had on November 27, 2014 declared that the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, was out to destroy Nigeria.

Atiku stated this while addressing the All Progressives Congress, APC, national delegates in Enugu State ahead of the party’s primary election for the 2015 presidential poll.

DAILY POST recalls that President Mohammadu Buhari, former Kano State Governor, Rabiu Kwankwanso and Atiku had in 2014 battled for the presidential ticket of the ruling APC.

President Buhari’s votes, however, outnumbered those of Kwankwanso and Atiku Abubakar who got 974 and 954 votes, respectively. Buhari polled 3,430 votes to get the ticket.

Prior to the primary election, Atiku vowed that he would remain in APC and support whoever clinches the party’s presidential ticket.

“Whether I win this primary or not, I will support whoever wins. That is why in all my public speeches I will not criticise any candidate,” he said.

According to Atiku, defecting to the opposition party would make no sense, stressing that if there was no change in 2015, “PDP will destroy the country and we will be looking for another country because it will be too late.”

However, on December 3rd, 2017, the former vice president announced his defection from the APC to join the PDP in the build up to 2019 presidential elections.

Atiku, who is currently the flagbearer of the main opposition party, however, lost the 2019 presidential election to President Muhammadu Buhari.

DAILY POST reports that the Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike had severally accused Atiku of being unfaithful to the party, saying he does not deserve the PDP presidential ticket.
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In 2014, during the Peoples Democratic Party’s national convention, where Goodluck Jonathan was unanimously adopted the party’s presidential candidate, Atiku and his loyalists famously staged a walkout and went to a separate venue where they held a parallel convention under the name the ‘New PDP’.

Few weeks later, Atiku and some other PDP stalwarts, led by six PDP governors, joined the APC.

Reacting to Atiku’s defection at the time, Rufai Alkali, then special adviser to Jonathan on political affairs, said Atiku would return to the PDP before the 2015 general election.

“Atiku is a PDP man to the core and has gone on vacation. I hope he will come back to the party before the elections and support the president,” Alkali had said.

However, Atiku described Alkali’s statement as “funny”, insisting that APC was his final bus stop.

“You know, it’s funny how some people put politics and vacation in the same sentence. Let me assure you: politics is a serious business, it is hard work, and for me at least, it is more than a fulltime job,” he said.

“I really don’t know how you can seriously think of taking a vacation, in a country like ours, with the politics we have.

“I did that when we built the great assemblage of the finest men and women under the umbrella of the PDP to get rid of the generals; I did that when I left and returned to the PDP, and I did that when I helped to turn the APC into a serious opposition party.

“When I toured our country, and listened to the hopes, fears, and expectations of Nigerians from all walks of life, I said the APC is the final bus stop, and that it is the end of the line. Because it is, for me.

“So some say I’m a PDP man to the core. I’m asking you, what does this even mean? What is the PDP?

“You know where I stand: I want a competitive democracy, true federalism, a government that creates conditions for people and business to thrive, and keeps out of business and people’s lives, and I want a country that is united and proud of its diversity.”

During the run-up to the APC presidential primaries, when Atiku was asked if he would dump the party should he lose the presidential ticket, his response was: “I am not aware of anyone contesting that wants to give up on APC. I know Rabi’u (Kwankwaso) will not do so, General Muhammadu Buhari is not going to do that. As for me as far as I am concerned, APC is my final bus stop.

“Nigerians should see me as new Atiku. I was in government the first time from 1999 to 2007 and I always thank my God that it did not continue.

“I have had a break. That break has enabled me to interact with ordinary Nigerians and know what they want and listen to them.

“Probably if I had continued and became the president I wouldn’t have been the new Atiku.”

However, on Friday, Atiku moved on from his final bus stop. It is not not clear if or how soon he will announce a new final bus stop.
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