As the 2019 General Elections draw near, a coalition of over 800 civil society groups and non-governmental organisations over the weekend mobilised grassroots support for the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, Atiku Abubakar.
The group under the platform of the Atiku-Obi Presidential Movement, in a statement jointly signed by its National Coordinator, Ambassador Niki Omoyele, Director, National Mobilization, Gomez Iwobi, and Jummai Gowon, Director, Special Duties, said the various groups decided to support the Atiku-Obi presidential ticket because the joint ticket presents Nigerians with leadership that seeks to redeem the country from its present economic woes.
The group, while taking a swipe at the Muhammadu Buhari-led administration, told the ruling All Progressive Congress (APC) that Nigerians are tired of the party’s penchant for making failed and empty promises which are never kept.
READ ALSO: CSO decries rising cardiovascular diseases, deaths from trans fat consumption
According to the group, the inability of the All Progressive Congress to live up to promises made before the 2015 general elections, is largely responsible for the present economic hardship bedeviling the nation.
“Members of the Atiku-Obi Presidential Movement, announce our full support for the Atiku/Obi Presidential ticket of the Peoples Democratic Party because we believe that it is the redemptive leadership that millions of Nigerians have since anticipated in hope, patience and prayers.
“The time has come to change the change and return power to the people of Nigeria. We represent the collective voices of Nigerians in over 890 NGOs and civil society groups, and have been working relentlessly through issue-based discourses.
“We declare that Nigerians are tired of failed promises, excruciating economic hardship and lack of a definite people-oriented leadership of vision and progressive policies.
“From the insecure corners of Norther-Eastern Nigeria, across the North Western cities like Kano, throughout the middle belt plains, down to the creeks of the South-South, in the bustling cities of Lagos, Port Harcourt, Enough, Aka, Aba, Ilorin, Abeokuta, Daura, Maiduguri amongst others, indeed everywhere within Nigeria, millions of our patriots are weary, and desirous of redemption,” the statement reads in part.
OWEDE AGBAJILEKE, Abuja
