By Mike Odiakose
Ahead of the November 18 date for commencement of electioneering campaigns, a coalition of support groups rooting for Atiku Abubakar has vowed to mobilize over 20 million votes for the PDP presidential candidates.
The National Convener of the coalition of Atiku four largest support groups, Ike Bishop Okoronkwo made this declaration in Abuja during an interactive session by a coalition of support groups with the theme: Turning the popularity of Atiku/Obi into Electoral Success.
He said that the groups have, so far, mobilised over 10 million youths across the country for Atiku.
He added that before the 2019 general elections, the groups will mobilise about 20 million voters across the 774 local governments for the PDP presidential candidate.
Also speaking, the National Coordinator of Atiku Abubakar Support Group, Dr. Nath Iduma challenged members of Atiku support group to ensure that Atiku wins convincingly in all polling units, saying that the ruling party is out to rig out Atiku at any slightest opportunity.
While addressing the coalition, Iduma explained that the Presidential Candidate of the PDP, Atiku Abubakar and his running mate, Peter Obi are successful businessmen and intends to govern the country as business.
He stated that Nigeria will succeed when governance becomes business.
He said, “Atiku Obi came together by providence and they are tested persons. I believe that if we have people that can run government as they run business, then that government is going to succeed.
“In Yola, Atiku has several investments and when both of them come together, the problem of the country which is unemployment will be handled. Both of them who are business minded people will run government like business. Unless we win this election with massive vote, it is likely they are going to rig us out.”
He challenged PDP and its Presidential candidate to invest massively on the youth, even as he reminded the coalition that Atiku pledged to allocate 40 percent of positions to the youths, urging them to work hard and grab the opportunity.
“It is high time that the party and candidates invest in the youths. They are the ones to go down into every part of the country to canvass for vote and protect our votes,” he said.
Adding his voice, the National Youth leader of the PDP, Hon. S. K. Ude-Okoye urged the youths to occupy the Social media space, confront the propaganda narratives of the APC and expose the values of the PDP Presidential candidate.
He said, “We have to divide ourselves into two and confront the attackers and the promoters. One group must be attacking the APC, telling how the APC has destroyed the country while the second group will be promoting the achievements of Atiku and Obi.
“Our product Atiku is a good market, so we have to sell him to Nigerians. Larger numbers of voters are not in the social media but their influencers are in the social media. We should influence our people who have registered to get their PVC.
“We also need to influence the voters who are in the village to get Android phones so that they can join the discourse. Atiku is an employer but we have a President who have a stunted business, it does not grow it does not reduce.
“A president who have failed to protect the lives and properties of his people have failed” Ude-Okoye stressed.
Also in his remarks, Ambassador Aliyu Abbas, Chairman of Atiku Care Foundation, said that with Atiku, citizens cannot continue to suffer from hunger and starvation.
“Atiku Abubakar is not only a politician but an international business man, an educationist, a farmer and a philanthropist”.
The event was attended by various support groups including Atiku100% led by Dr. T.M. Kassim, Atiku care foundation and IamAtikulated led by Okoronkwo Bishop including the Spokesperson of Atiku Presidential Campaign Organization Segun Sowunmi.
