Former vice president Atiku Abubakar has picked the 2023 presidential express of interest and nomination forms of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
Atiku, who is the first aspirant to secure the forms which cost N40m, will formally declare his ambition on Wednesday March 23.
The forms were picked for him by the North East Business Forum at the PDP national secretariat Abuja. Chairman of the forum, Alhaji Dalhatu Funakaya led the delegation.
Others on the delegation are former Adamawa State governor Boni Haruna; media mogul High Chief Raymond Dopkesi; Senator Abdul Ningi; and Sen Dino Melaye.
The group, after purchasing the forms, presented the forms to Atiku at his Asokoro residence in Abuja.
The purchase of the forms comes barely hours after the PDP National Executive Committee (NEC) approved the party’s schedule for the 2023 election which gave the go ahead for sales of forms.
Addressing the Business forum after they presented the forms to him, Atiku said “In 2018 or 19 some young man contributed money and bought a nomination form, the first in political history since the return of democracy to our country and truly they made me shed tears.
“They put together their hard earned money and purchased me a nomination form, that actually brought tears from my eyes. I was emotional about it.
“Now again today like the chairman of the Northeast Business Forum said, we were invited and another gesture was extended to me. It was a promise. And today it is a promise fulfilled.”
He noted that the challenges before Nigeria are enormous adding that the country has never faced the challenges it is experiencing now in its history.
He said “Our unity is threatened, our economy is in the worst state of affairs, since the inception of this country, our security is a disaster, these are very serious challenges. These are challenges that require the unity of everybody in this country.
“These challenges cannot be solved by an individual or a group of individuals, or whatever. But they require all hands on deck. So my brothers and sisters, my fellow countrymen, what is before us is not an easy job. Nation building ordinarily is not an easy job.”
He assured that his administration will embrace all ethnic and religious inclinations.
“So I want to assure all parts of this country that there will be a sense of belonging, there will be a sense of fairness, and there will be a sense of justice to every part of this country.”
Speaking earlier, Funakaya said they met Atiku in November last year in Gombe State and urged him to join the presidential race with the promise to foot the bill for his nomination forms.
“We made a pledge in Gombe in November 2021 and we called on him to contest and pledged to purchase the nomination form for him.”
He said they have fulfilled their side of the bargain and hope the former vice president will formally declare to contest the 2023 presidential election.
On his part, Dopkesi said Atiku will tackle the challenges of lack of unity, economic distress and ensure progress of youths.
He applauded the Business community in the North for recognising the capacity of Atiku whom he described as a foremost investor in Nigeria, adding that his robust wealth of experience in the private and public sector makes him the most suitable person for the office
