By Stephen Angbulu
The Chairman of the All Progressives Congress, Abdullahi Adamu, has described the Peoples Democratic Party presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, as just another politician who is defeatable in the February elections.
He also said Atiku’s influence—and the PDP’s incumbency—will not slim the APC’s chances of victory in the Adamawa State governorship election on March 11.
“Atiku is just another politician in Nigeria. Evidence and history has shown that he his defeatable,” Adamu said shortly after visiting the President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), at his official residence, State House, Abuja.
Adamu who arrived the State House at about 09:00 pm Thursday, was in the company of the APC governorship candidate in Adamawa State, Aishatu Binani, her running mate, Titsi Ganama and the Minister of Women Affairs, Pauline Tallen.
The delegation was on a thank-you visit to the President for his acceptance to appear at the flag off of Binani’s governorship campaign on Monday, January 9.
Asked if the “Atiku factor” does not threaten Binani’s chances against the incumbent governor, Ahmadu Fintiri, Adamu said “Atiku is just another politician in Nigeria. Evidence, history has shown that he his defeatable. He has tried it many times he has been defeated.
“Last election, his candidate was defeated by the same senator who is now qualified as a candidate for our great party for the governorship of the state.”
He argued that Fintiri’s dismal performance would boost the APC’s chances of victory.
“Based on the performance of the governor of the state today, I have reasons to believe that by the grace of God, we will form the next government in Adamawa State. It would be the APC government by the grace of God.
“He has nothing to show for the period he has been in office. And you need to go to the state with your ears to the ground and shine your eyes and see what you can associate with his personal success, by way of improving the lot of the people that elected him.
“We don’t have any doubt about it. We don’t want to be complacent, though. We’re working hard to displace him working hard to ensure that the APC will next election,” he said.
On her part, the governorship candidate, Binani, said her leadership philosophy identifies with Nigerians at the grassroots.
According to her, her performance as a lawmaker in the green and red chambers of the National Assembly implies what Nigerians should expect from her administration as governor.
“My politics is nothing but grassroots. So if you go to Adamawa, if you just mention the grassroot the next name is Binani.
“I was once a member of House of Representative. I represented Yola North, Yola South and Giri Federal Constituency in the seventh assembly. And they testified that they never had it good from a representative.
“Now I’m representing the Adamawa Central Senatorial zone in the Red Chamber. And till this very moment, that’s the same testimony that we never had this kind of representation, right from the lawmaking and also humanity, touching lives in different aspects. So I want to believe, they know what to expect as a governor,” she said.
The Minister of Women Affairs, Tallen, said she believes that the Buhari presidency would ensure the emergence of the country’s first female governor.
Source: The Punch