Arewa group has described the choice by top stakeholders in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to name the governor of Rivers state s the running mate to Atiku Abubakar as commendable.
The Arewa Youth Awareness Forum (AYAF) said the decision of PDP leaders to choose Wike as the party’s 2023 vice-presidential candidate has shown their readiness to win the presidential race.
A northern group has commended top stakeholders in the PDP for rallying behind Governor Wike as the right choice of running mate for Atiku Abubakar.
Arewa Youth Awareness Forum said that the PDP will witness tremendous victory in the 2023 presidential election through its strategic nationwide mobilization of votes.
In a statement seen by Legit.ng, the group’s chairman, vice chairman and secretary-general, Mohammed Sani-Kabir, Salisu Abdurrahman and Ben Alege respectively applauded the party for its move to take such a bold step.
The group emphasized that the capacity to roll back poverty, insecurity, illiteracy and other indices of underdevelopment matter more than sentiments.
The statement said:
“In view of deep-rooted economic, security and other challenges of nation-building that the nation faces today, one thing that is more needed than religious and ethnic sentiments is good, impactful governance characterised by mass inclusion and leadership that has the capacity to move mountains.
“The PDP is demonstrating a keen sense of reward because Governor Wike’s contribution to his party is unmatched by any of his peers in the South-South; in spite of criticisms against him, his impact had been felt in the party from Abia to Zamfara states.”
Adding that they believe that the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) will do well as a progressive party by following the PDP’s method of involving every level of the party in d choice of a VP candidate, the group said this would put other religious concerns and sentiments to rest.
It added:
“While we respect all our religious leaders, we must all caution ourselves a bit to curb the way occasional admixture of politics and religion further divides people and lead to combustible reactions; if MURIC which dislikes Wike and the CAN which is criticizing APC’s inclinations chose, they may float a political party and share positions of presidential candidate and running mate between one another on the basis of religious considerations in future elections.
“As far as we are concerned, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar’s choice of a Southerner in the person of Governor who has a track record of developmental projects, including those commissioned by our revered Sultan, remains a very reasonable strategy for winning the 2023 elections.”