Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar was in Benin, the capital of Edo State on Monday as part of consultations on how to strengthen the opposition Peoples Democratic Party, PDP can take over power from the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC ahead of the 2023 presidential election.
After the meeting, Atiku confirmed to journalists that his discussion with the Obaseki centered around governance, situations in the country and how PDP could be strengthened to take over power in 2023.
“Basically we discussed about governance, the situation in the country, we discussed about our party, how our party should be strengthen and to take over leadership in as many states and also the federal government,” he added.
Speaking in the same vein, Obaseki said there was need to rebuild a strong PDP ahead of 2023 presidential election to rescue Nigeria from its current challenges.
According to him, “We must give Nigerians hope, the situation we are seeing in many weak countries, post pandemic is not good at all. We have to rise as a party and not wait for the election, we most start our work now to rescue Nigeria.
“First, we need to build a very strong party to rescue Nigeria, I have been on the other side, it is clear to me that there is only one party in Nigeria, which is the PDP.
“All the others are special purpose vehicles, for the purpose of winning elections. We have a responsibility of strengthening our party,
“From the analysis we’ve done, from my capacity as the Chairman of e-registration committee of our party, there is rarely any ward in this country that has not produced either a chancellor, Chairman, House of Representatives, House of Assembly member since 1999.
“So, the potentials are there, it’s about us just going to harness those potentials and make Nigerians realize that only an organised party like PDP can safe Nigeria is this very perilous time we faced.
“On our part as a committee of the party, we are going round the country to get Nigerians particularly young people who are apolitical to come and join our party to help rescue this country,” he added.
Obaseki described what he called impending food shortage and rising cost of food items as the most frightening phenomenon in the country.
He added that the country is currently going through its most difficult economic situation in the history of its nationhood.
According to him, “The country is seriously challenged, I cannot recall anytime in the history of this country we’ve gone through difficult economic circumstances, but at no pint in time did we have a combination of the issues we are having today.
“The most frightening phenomenon is the pending food shortages and high food prices in this country today, if we do not do something about it, things will not going to be easy with us as a country.
“We will not keep quiet, as an opposition party we must go out and tell Nigerians what to do,” he added.
Former Governor of Niger State, Alhaji Babangida Aliyu, Senator Dino Melaye and others were in the Atiku Abubakar’s entourage.
Support InfoStride News' Credible Journalism: Only credible journalism can guarantee a fair, accountable and transparent society, including democracy and government. It involves a lot of efforts and money. We need your support. Click here to Donate