A Peoples Democratic Party, PDP chieftain, Chief Charles Udeogaranya, has backed the endorsement of the presidential candidate of the party, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, by the Igbo apex socio-cultural organization, Ohanaeze Ndigbo.
Ohaneze Ndigbo had yesterday endorsed Atiku as its candidate for the February 16 presidential polls.
Udeogaranya, who was a presidential aspirant on the All Progressives Congress, APC, platform, said the Atiku’s endorsement has further narrowed the chances of President Muhammadu Buhari in the polls.
Udeogaranya, who dumped the ruling party recently for the PDP, noted that APC’s poor economic policies had adversely affected hardworking Nigerians, particularly the average Igbo.
Briefing journalists in Lagos, the politician said, “Many political pundits don’t always consider that because of the national spread of Ndigbo, their block support automatically gives any presidential candidate 25 percent of the two third of the 36 states and the FCT, which satisfies one leg of winning a presidential contest.
“The Ohaneze’s endorsement of Alhaji Atiku Abubakar which I participated in, without any form of inducement and rancour, will see seven states which are the home land of the Igbo namely: Abia, Anambra, Delta (Anioma) Ebonyi, Enugu, Imo and Rivers all going to the People’s Democratic Party (PDP). This will see President Buhari of the All Progressives Congress (APC) beaten 7: 0; in football parlance, we chant it as Seven Kpondo!
“With Ohaneze’s endorsement of Atiku, the Igbo have unequivocally demonstrated their total rejection of the poverty-induced policies of the Buhari administration, which have made Nigeria the poverty headquarters of the world, a status Ndigbo are ashamed to be identified with; poverty spurs Ndigbo to hard work and this is the truth.
”All Atiku needs now is to maintain his national lead over Buhari and possibly increase his lead on majority votes.
“I say congratulations to Ohaneze on your endorsement of Atiku Abubakar, and by this action, you have demonstrated that you genuinely represented Ndigbo and have provided uncommon quality leadership; you have spoken the mind of the average Igbo at home and in the Diaspora and indeed, largely Nigerians in general.”
