ABUJA – Former Vice President and Chieftain of All Progressives Congress (APC), Atiku Abubakar has dismissed rumours that he was under pressure to return to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
Instead of leaving the APC, he said he was irrevocably committed to the party’s victory in the general elections.
In a statement from his media office in Abuja, Atiku said his commitment to the APC and the success of its presidential candidate, Gen. Muhammadu Buhari and other party candidates in the 2015 general elections was unwavering and has never been up for bargaining.
There have been reports of purported plan by the former vice president to return to the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) over alleged misgivings within the APC.
Atiku said: ‘I remain irrevocably committed to the APC, as I promised in my concession speech at the conclusion of our party’s presidential primaries, and has been working tirelessly behind the scenes to ensure the victory of General Buhari and other candidates of our great party at the general elections.’
The statement stressed that reports of the Turaki Adamawa’s purported return to the PDP or any other party was the handiwork of mischief-makers focused on pitching the former vice president against other leaders of the opposition party.
Atiku said for the avoidance of doubt, it would take more than the antics of mischief-makers to break the bond between him and APC.
He added that his return from Adamawa, where he convened a stakeholders’ meeting and reconciled disagreeing camps within the party towards ensuring victory for the APC, bared eloquent testimony of this commitment.
The statement also said the former vice president was supporting the financial operations of the APC in many states, in most cases as a sole financier.
Atiku said: ‘I have backed my words and commitment with my resources to ensure that I bring my influence and support to bear on our party’s march to victory at all levels in the general election. That should be enough to shut up mischief-makers bent on derailing the APC’s success at the March 28 and April 11 elections,’ he said.
The statement added that as one of Nigeria’s astute politicians and businessmen, there might be overtures from across political divides to the former vice president, but restated that Atiku Abubakar has publicly stated his commitment to the APC and has privately rebuffed the approaches from all quarters. – The Nation.