Former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar, on Sunday, canvassed for votes from delegates of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Osun ahead of the party’s presidential primary slated for May 28.
Abubakar, who identified himself as a son of Osun, due to his marriage to Titi, one of his wives, from Ilesa Town, urged the delegates to give him their support during the primary.
Atiku, addressing the delegates at the party’s secretariat in Osogbo, said he needed their support to win the ticket.
“We are preparing for our presidential primary and as usual, there are delegates from Osun.
“I want to appeal to you (delegates), request and plead with you, once again, to give me, your own son and family member, the opportunity to win this election.
“There are serious challenges in the country and we cannot entrust these challenges to somebody who does not have the experience to deal with them.
“In 1999, under the leadership of President Olusegun Obasanjo, as Vice President, we faced similar challenges when we came in.
“There was a lack of unity, debts, and Nigeria had no foreign reserve.
“What we did was that we brought all the political parties into the government to form the government of national unity, which provided us with peace, stability, and unity to govern.
“My experience and attribute are what I will bring on board to address the disunity and other challenges facing the country.
“And, I can assure you that every part of the country will have a sense of belonging,” he said.
Atiku said, if elected, he would support restructuring and tackle the nation’s economic crisis, by engaging experienced and talented Nigerians, irrespective of ethnicity or religion, to run his administration.
He, however, appealed for unity among the PDP members in the state.
Atiku said that Osun would be a stepping stone to his presidential ambition, based on the outcome of the forthcoming governorship election on July 16 in the state.
He said PDP lost the last governorship election in the state due to disunity and disagreement within the party, adding that a similar crisis was happening again ahead of the governorship election.
Atiku appealed to the party leadership in the state and the state PDP caretaker committee to unite all the warring parties.
“I want you all to unite and make sure you win this forthcoming gubernatorial election, no matter the differences,” he said.
In his remarks, Dr. Adekunle Akindele, the Osun PDP Caretaker Committee Chairman, said his committee was working to unite all the warring and aggrieved members of the party.
Akindele said that the committee was working toward resolving the crisis within the party.
Earlier, Sen. Dino Melaye, introducing Atiku and his entourage, appealed to delegates from Osun not to be swayed by money bags during the party primary in Abuja.
