Abubakar Atiku flays divisive campaigns, urges commitment to unity

The presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP),Alhaji Atiku Abubakar has flayed what he called divisive campaigns by politicians ahead of 2019 elections.

In a statement on Tuesday by  the spokesperson of Atiku Presidential Campaign Organisation, Segun Sowunmi, Atiku said the act portends great danger for the unity of Nigeria, adding: “The 2019 election should be issue-based, devoid of slandering and name calling to avoid divisions among the people.

“We hold the view that unguarded narrative hurts the country and further divides us as a people. Some of the consequences of previous mismanaged campaign efforts are perhaps the reasons there is little, or no internal cohesion with its attendant security challenges.”

According to him, elections come every four years in the country, and if great effort is not taken, we could hurt the country and its people needlessly and invariably our democracy.He stressed the need to sign up to these ideals, so that campaigns can hold without recourse to hate speech, libels, lies and undue criminalisation of people.

Atiku pledged commitment to running issue-based campaigns, and urged the Muhammadu Buhari-led administration and the All Progressives Congress (APC) to do the same.

The PDP candidate added: “There is greater value in doing so. Nigeria is the most populous black nation on earth and we owe it to the black race to be above board.”He said the PDP was only interested in presenting its idea on how the country should be best governed, and not interested in anything else.

This, he, said was necessary so that Nigeria and its people can be put on the path of working again.

In a related development, Lagos State Governor, Akinwunmi Ambode, on Tuesday, promised to lead a strong campaign to ensure victory for President Muhammadu Buhari and the All Progressives Congress (APC)’s governorship candidate in the state, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu in the 2019 general elections.

Ambode made the promise at the Presidential Wing of the Murtala Mohammed International Airport; shortly after he accompanied Buhari to commission the new Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Border Posts at Seme-Krake joint border post in Badagry.He said it was important for the APC to retain its leadership positions both at the federal and the state level.

“I also use this opportunity to let Lagosians know that we are heavily committed to the re-election of Mr. President and you can see that his continuous visit to Lagos reiterates the fact that he is actually a lover of the state, and I am committed to ensuring his victory”. He said.