The Labour Party has said that Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, the People's Democratic Party's (PDP) presidential nominee, believes that people from the south-eastern area are "fools." The Labour Party said that "insensitive" is the only term that can adequately describe his recent comments in Awka, Anambra State.
The Labour Party asserts that Atiku insulted the Ndigbo in their own territory at a time when the nation is on the verge of a civil war because of administrative favouritism on a regional basis, a desire for greater equality and harmony within the country, and the predominance of one ethnic group in the executive branch.
The party said that considering that the Igbo had not run for president since 1999 and the North has been in power for the previous ten years, Atiku's plea for Ndigbo support of a continuance of the Northern-Fulani-Muslim-ticket was an insult of the greatest calibre. Additionally, they asserted that kleptocrats are experts at their own game and always seek for methods to deceive their alleged victims.
In a statement published on Thursday, Chief Innocent Okeke, national vice chairman (South East), made the remarks.
Okeke asserted that Atiku was attempting to deploy tried-and-true political strategies against Ndigbo, but that they would fail this time because the Southeasters were no longer prepared to accept being treated as second-class citizens in a nation in which they play a significant role.
Okeke asserted that if Atiku had any integrity, he would not have sought the support of the South or the Ndigbo in particular or even run for president given that President Muhammadu Buhari, a Northerner, will be leaving Aso Rock after eight years in office the next year.
Okeke said: “If Atiku was not up to spite Ndigbo as he usually does if he believes he is the stepping stone for Ndigbo to take their rightful place, why is he still in this presidential race? He claims to be a unifier, whereas he defiles equity, the most potent unifying factor in Nigeria.
“Funnily enough, Atiku is among those that designed the agreement of rotation in 1999 and has witnessed it go around and now it is the undisputable turn of Ndigbo, why does he want to change the goalpost in the middle of a match? This is unacceptable.”
According to his recollection, no Igbo man or southerner challenged Atiku and Buhari, who are from the North. The South proudly watched from the sidelines as the war was fought between a Northerner and another per the principle of rotation and zoning arrangement.
“Now that it is the turn of the South and the Southeast precisely, why is Atiku contesting and at the same time coming to the East with the intention to insult and mock them?
“Ndigbo have contributed and still contributing to the present unity and success of Nigeria and doing everything possible to keep a united Nigeria. Agitations are up because of Nigeria’s reluctance to embrace equity. Any semblance of unity that exists is driven by Ndigbo, the only tribe that goes everywhere and builds a home. Therefore, it was insulting to tell such people that you are their stepping stone to the presidency.
“Igbo want to be president because they want to fix the Nigeria that has been damaged over the years. They have presented one of their best, whose positive record as a Governor is overwhelming.
“As we look forward to a new Nigeria emerging from reality and faith, no one should take these elements that have been architects of Nigeria’s problems seriously.
“You can not go to Kaduna and reveal that an average northerner will not vote for a president from the South and repeat that the average northerner will not like to vote Igbo or Yoruba, only to come to Awka and say you are a stepping stone. Who do you want to deceive?
“Atiku should be advised to withdraw from the presidential race, work on himself and purge away the old conspiracies that he and his cohorts have been using to teach their younger ones hate and disunity. This is the only practical way to be a unifier,” Okeke noted.