"I am committed to Government of National Unity" – Atiku

The Peoples Democratic Party Presidential Candidate, Atiku Abubakar, says he is committed to a Government of National Unity.

Abubakar stated this on Friday in Abuja during his meeting with the Coalition of United Political Parties an umbrella of over 45 political parties that endorsed him as their consensus presidential candidate.

He said that PDP was a party that believed in the doctrine of Government of National Unity and participation of many Nigerians irrespective of their political affiliations, since its formation as a political party in 1998.

He said: “I want to commit myself to the continuation of the doctrine of a GNU. We have a lot of work to do together. We should not go back and rest and say we have endorsed.”

The presidential candidate commended the CUPP for endorsing him as their candidate, describing the gesture as historic.

He said: “You have not taken a wrong decision because the PDP since we formed it in 1998, is a party that believes in national government.”

Speaking on the suggestion that elders should leave politics for the young, Abubakar said that democracy was not a process where one group replaced another but “a process where all groups participate”.

He said: “It is not a process where one group young or old, rich or poor excludes the other but a process where everybody participates.

“So, when I hear young men say we are coming to replace our fathers, our uncles, our elder brothers and so on, I laugh.”

The Senate President and the Director-General of Atiku Campaign Council, Senator Bukola Saraki, called on the coalition to work hard to ensure victory for Abubakar.

He said: “We must be part of the process to usher in a new direction. The most important thing is that we want a change and a new direction.”

An Elder Statesman, Chief Tom Ikimi, said that the journey was going to be difficult, but members of the CUPP were committed to it.

The National Chairman of Kowa Party, Alhaji Saidu Bobboi, said that the party remained committed to CUPP and its decision on adoption of Abubakar as its presidential candidate.