Atiku Abubakar, presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), in an interview with Arise TV, aired this morning at 8:30 AM, highlighted some of the things he will do if he becomes the President of Nigeria in 2023.
In the interview, which lasted for over an hour, Atiku said what drives him to run for the office of the President is borne of his desire to be see a new Nigeria.
Below are the key takeaways from the interview.
Atiku Speaks On Issues Surrounding His Choice Of Running Mate
Contrary to the media reports that Atiku rejected the nomination of the Rivers State governor, Nyesom Wike, to be his running mate, Atiku said he did not pick Wike as his running mate because he wanted someone he could work with “amicably”.
Recall that Atiku had picked Ifeanyi Okowa, governor of Delta, as his running mate for the 2023 presidential election and the choice had created a disagreement within the party, with a group of aggrieved stakeholders insisting that Wike should be picked.
Speaking on why he picked Okowa over Wike, Atiku said he went for Okowa instead of Wike because he wanted someone that could “deliver the policies of the party, and also try to unify the country”.
Atiku Speaks On His Chances Of Winning The 2023 Presidential Election Despite Labour Party’s Presidential Candidate, Peter Obi’s Rising Popularity.
“I am not expecting the Labour Party (LP) to pull off a surprise to win the 2023 presidential election”, Atiku said in the interview with Arise TV.
He used the just concluded Osun governorship election as a yardstick to measure Labour Party’s popularity and their chances of winning an election. “We could have seen it in the last election in Osun state. What is the performance of the Labour Party? – Atiku queried.
Speaking further, the former vice-president said 90 percent of people in the north are not social media, insinuating that it will limit the chances of the LP to win the 2023 presidential election.
Atiku Speaks On Transformation Of NNPC
On Tuesday, July 19 – President Muhammadu Buhari unveiled the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC) Limited, but to Atiku Abubakar, the transition of NNPC is “shrouded in secrecy”.
“Yes, the government has announced that it is started privatising the NNPC but a lot needs to be done. Because it appears that it is being done secretly. In other words, otherwise, nobody, Nigerians and other members of the international community have not seen it in a transparent manner,” Atiku said.
“If you ask me honestly, I do not know how it’s being done, and by whom what is the scope of the privatisation? How much is being privatised, and how much is being retained by the government?”
