Adibe Emenyonu
Ahead of the 2023 general election, Senator Ehigie Uzamere has declared his support for Alhaji Atiku Abubakar as the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), saying that age will not be a hindrance to the former vice president to lead Nigeria as president.
Uzamere, who represented Edo South Senatorial district of Edo State (2007 – 2011) in the senate, made the declaration at a press conference in Benin City, said, he is supporting Atiku because he has what it takes to be president and that with the look of things, he is the only person who is prepared to be president and give Nigerians the required leadership and direction.
According to Uzamere, “I heard some people saying age is not on the side of the former vice president, but let me debunk that insinuation that effective and efficient leadership is not about age but about capacity and strong health. Atiku Abubakar is the most experienced, most popular and he is as popular as the Coca-Cola brand to the extent that in Nigeria today, there are some men dresses that is nicknamed Atiku and that is to tell you how popular he is in Nigeria.
“Age does not have anything to do with leadership as long as he can give us what we want in Nigeria. He has the capacity, his is experienced, he has reached out to everybody, he is a detribalised Nigerian in a country that is almost on
edge.
“Whether we like it or not we need a man who has experience not experimental president, not a man who will come in and have godfather somewhere, no. And Atiku has been contesting, they say he is a serial contester, yes why not?
Uzamere, who further said he did not see Atiku as a serial presidential contestant, however, added that everyone living has ambition.
He said: “If you do not have ambition then you should not be living. So Atiku Abubakar is the right choice for me as a person as far as 2023 is concerned. If it is the desire of Atiku Abubakar, if it is his ambition to be president let him be and I will appeal to Nigerian voters to join us to support him. Let me tell you after Obafemi Awolowo of blessed memory, who was ready to offer his selfless service to this nation, Atiku is the next person who is prepared to be President to give this country the needed governance and, he has what it takes to bet president.”
“When he was contesting under ACN, he told Nigerians that, he was going to establish Ministry of Niger-Delta, Musa Y’Adua did not understand what the man was going to do in that ministry, he quickly created it, when he told you again that he was going to privatize NNPC everybody was abusing him.
“But what is happening today? They don’t even know what the man wants to do, even when you privatize now they can’t go nowhere because the structure is not there, the international community will not listen to them, they are only wasting their time maybe bidding time for May 29, 2023 so that they could go.
“As far as I know, Atiku is a man who has managed his home and businesses very well and will he not be able to manage a country?
“A 75-year-old man with business empires everywhere what is his main concern now other than how to use his wealth of experience to better the lives of ordinary Nigerians. He is not going to steal because he had enough.You people said the man is so rich that he stole so much money yet nobody has taken him to Court, nobody either home or abroad has implicated this man. So I do not think Atiku Abubakar will steal Nigeria’s money and again I am a very upright man I will not support you for any other reason rather than the truth. So please let us wait and Atiku is aware of the country’s problem, which is absence of the middle class.
Any country without a middle class is not a country, when there is no middle that will bridge the gap between up and down the rich and the poor, such country has a problem because if you secure yourself you cannot secure your children and your relatives. We are in trouble whether you like it or not, be you a big man or a small man. The rich are not even secure because they are few, you have to come together, the fact that you can feed very well, the fact that you have does not make you better than the ones who don’t have and I am supporting Atiku because he is aware of all these,” he declared.
On the current security challenges in the country, Uzamere said insecurity should be discussed outside politics because one need to be alive to play politics.
“Irrespective of what political party you belong, this is a fight for everyone in Nigeria so that you and I will be able to move in safety. I think we should all join the Federal Government, first is to pray for Mr President so that he will be able to find the wisdom to get away from where we are today.
“He inherited it but it went so bad since he came in, so, he should rejig his strategies and give us what will move this country forward. It is only where you have peace that you can think about politics,” Uzamere further declared.
