2015: I will support Buhari if . . . – Atiku

From Ayodele Samuel, Lagos

Former Vice President and All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential aspirant, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar yesterday said he would support former Head of State, General Muhammad Buhari if he wins the APC presidential ticket.

Atiku, speaking at an interactive session with newsmen in Lagos yesterday, also said President Goodluck Jonathan lacks the capacity to fix the challenges facing the country.

Asked what will happen if he loses the party ticket to the former military head of states, Atiku said, “if the ticket goes to Buhari I will support him. Buhari and I have a perfect understanding; I don’t think it will be a problem if any one of us gets the party ticket.”

He said he mobilized support for General Buhari during the 2011 election which he contested on the platform of the defunct Congress for Progressive Change, CPC.

He described the APC as his final political bus stop, suggesting that he will not cross carpet back to PDP even if he does not get the APC presidential ticket. “Beside APC being my final bus stop, I have always believed in merger, I believe in a two party system for the country,” he said.

Atiku however urged Nigerians to forget purposeful leadership from the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP.

Giving reasons for aspiring to rule the country as President, Atiku said he’s in the race to fix the many problems of the country which the PDP has apparently failed to get right.

“It is my desire to fix this country that is driving me into this race,” he said.

Lamenting the level of impunity in the country, the Turaki Adamawa said the level of corruption and mis-governance in the country is on the increase.

“ I have never seen the level of impunity going on as high as we have today. There’s high level of impunity at all level of governance- mi governance, insecurity in the country is pervasive.

“I don’t see anyone fixing this country; we need to bring about a change that can decisively deal with these challenges,” he said.

He said the country is in need of a leadership that can truly unite the country and further develop it to a prosperous nation.

“I have never seen this country so divided as its today, we are divided along ethnic, religious and many lines; we have a responsibility to arrest this issue urgently,” Atiku said.