*North central group predicts victory for Atiku
*Says Ortom has no power over electorate
George Okoh in Makurdi and Adedayo Akinwale in Abuja
The All Progressives Congress (APC) has called on all members of the Presidential Campaign Council (PCC) from the North West zone to join all party leaders at state levels to ensure effective mobilisation of voters on election day.
APC National Vice Chairman for North West, Dr. Salihu Lukman, in a statement, yesterday, reminded party members that all politics was local and victory for the election would be at the polling unit.
This however, is as leader and conveyer of a top campaign group in the north central states known as Zege Mule U Tiv Vision, Evangelist Hon. Marti Acka, has predicted that the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, would win the presidential run.
Speaking on the APC presidential rally held last Saturday in Kebbi State, Lukman said the exercise concluded the phase of the campaign in all the seven states of the North. West zone.
He noted that across all the seven states in the North-West, the leaders and candidates have been able to reconcile with all members and accordingly, resolved all the challenges arising from internal party contests leading to emergence of candidates for the 2023 elections.
The APC chieftain stressed that the ability of the party leaders to reconcile and forge a united front in the North-West zone was largely responsible for all its successful rallies.
“As we move to Election Day, February 25, 2023, we are confident that our leaders in all the seven states of North-West will give all necessary guide to party members, candidates, and all party supporters.
“We call on all members of the Presidential Campaign Council from the zone to join all our party leaders at state levels to ensure effective mobilisation of voters on Election Day. We must remind everyone that in the end politics is local and victory for the election will be at the polling unit,” he said.
On her party, Acka, who predicted Atiku’s victory because his presidency is what Nigeria needed at this time to return to the path of glory, also insisted that the Benue State Governor, Samuel Ortom, lacked the authority to decide who Benue electorate would vote for in the elections.
“There is no basis for comparison between Atiku, Obi, and Tinubu. Everyone has right to claim victory, that is your wish and feeling. Experience and competence is going to count. Trust will count and these other candidates do not have what it takes; there are many odds against them.
“I believe that Atiku will stop the killings and ensure that peace returns to Benue State and Nigeria at large. Unemployment will be a thing of the past. His five point agenda speak for him in the area of education, economy, security, true federalism and addressing infrastructural deficit. He is one that is poised to bring about development and all that did not work, will work again.
“He is a pan-African, pan-Nigerian and has network outside the shores of this country. He will resuscitate moribund industries. It is not in doubt what he can do. Atiku has been here long enough to know the pulse of the people. How will our group sell the candidate, he is already sold irrespective of the differences and squabble within the party (PDP) and some elements,” she said.
