Former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar expressed concerns about the Peoples Democratic Party’s future on Tuesday, admitting that a loss in the 2023 presidential election could send the party into political oblivion.
During a Consultative meeting in Abuja, Atiku expressed his concerns to members of the PDP Board of Trustees.
Explaining that the party might not survive another eight years as an opposition party, Atiku expressed concern that he and the other members of the BoT would be “politically retired” if another party won the election.
“I am concerned, and you should be concerned, that if we do not win, we will be in opposition for the next eight years,” he said.
“By the next eight years, I don’t know how many of us will be left in politics, and it may even lead to the death of the party because people gravitate toward governments, particularly in developing countries.”
“So, for our survival, this is a very critical and historical moment in history.”
Suggesting possible strategies to ensure PDP victory in 2023, the former vice president suggested that the PDP develop its own strategy rather than playing catch up.
He went on to say that there was no reason for the PDP to play to the gallery by adopting zoning for its presidential slot simply because the ruling party did.
“We invented and formulated this zoning policy simply because we wanted every part of this country to feel like it belonged, and I have personally paid my dues on the issue of zoning.”
“As a result, you cannot come here and claim that the PDP has not followed the zoning policy.”
“The many years of the PDP government, eight years and six years, were all from the south.” As a result, we must avoid being stampeded by the opposition party. “They owe it to themselves morally,” he stated.
