On Tuesday a group under the auspices of the Southern Nigeria Liberation Movement, SNLM have appealed to the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP candidate in the forthcoming 2023 presidential election, Atiku Abubakar to look beyond friendship and political promises in picking his running mate.
SNLM Spokesman, Dr. Chris Ogbaide made the call in a statement signed and made available to newsmen.
The group said most of the governors scrambling for the position of being the running mate are political jostlers who may metamorphose into a liability when their services are seriously needed.
“Our position is anchored on the need to unite the country for optimal democratic gain as well as security of lives and property and not also forgetting the importance of securing our critical national assets which undoubtedly are the life-wire that sustains Nigeria.
According to the group, “This means that a credible, reliable, competent candidate to be the running mate to Alhaji Atiku Abubakar must be someone who outside of his status as a credible, reliable, and competent person must also be loyal, selfless, of proven character and above all a person who can help to secure our national assets and also has a robust relationship with the local communities where these critical national assets situated; a person who can enter anywhere and at any time to interface with the host communities just as Prof Osinbajo did during the Niger Delta Avengers’ attacks on our critical national assets, through the instrumentality of the Advocacy Group Against Vandalization of Oil and Gas Installations ably led by the most dependable and reliable Deputy Governor of Delta State, H.E (Dcn) Kingsley Burutu Otuaro.
” A person who will bring his wealth of experience to the fore in helping Alhaji Atiku’s administration to succeed; a person who will not be a clog to the smooth running of the wheel of State etc.
“Our humble appeal is that Atiku Abubakar should not rush into picking a running mate but carefully and critically do a comprehensive finding to get a befitting candidate who will help his administration to succeed rather than some of these egoistic and ethnocentric governors whose stock in trade is to bear the appellation of Vice President without any significance to the overall well-being of our dear country, Nigeria.
“This is a critical time and there is every need for those who want to govern Nigeria well to see beyond political friendship and/or promises but decisive in engaging in a political intercourse that will take Nigeria to a better standing from where she is now.”
