The Group Atiku disowned as President Jonathan begs him to return to PDP before Presidential polls

The second term bid of President Goodluck Jonathan received a boost yesterday as some support

groups of former vice president, Atiku Abubakar dumped the political party of their benefactor, the All Progressives Congress (APC) for Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

Abubakar was one of the contenders for the APC presidential ticket, which General Muhammadu Buhari won.

At an event with Uche Secondus, Professor Wale Oladipo and Abubakar Mustapha, PDP Deputy National Chairman, National Secretary and National Organising Secretary respectively, in attendance, the Atiku Abubakar Support Group pledged to work for the victory of the PDP presidential candidate.

Special Adviser to the President on Political Matters, Professor Rufai Ahmed Alkali, in his remarks, advised the former vice-president to return to the PDP before the conduct of the general elections.

Alkali said: “We applaud you for taking this firm decision at this point in time. We are adding you to our support group. “ Atiku has gone on vacation and my only prayer is that he returns to PDP before the general elections.”

He admonished the defectors to pick their Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) ahead of the general polls, applauding  the groups for their courage to move at such a critical time of the campaigns.

Deputy National Chairman of the party, Uche Secondus assured them of a level-playing field in the ruling party, alerting the nation and party faithful to alleged orchestrated falsehood being disseminated by the APC.

“You have equal rights and you are free to partake in our party activities, particularly at this election time. The rallying point today is President Goodluck Jonathan; he is the symbol of Nigeria’s unity.”

“In the coming days and coming weeks towards March 28, APC is deliberately dishing out propaganda aimed at black mailing the person of Mr. President.”

The deputy national chairman of PDP dismissed the claim by APC that the Presidency had recruited an Israeli to jam the card readers and render it dysfunctional on election day.

“Elections aren’t won on the pages of newspapers, but by people who have permanent voter cards,” Secondus stressed.

Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Senator Bala Mohammed told the gathering that the movement of the Atiku  Abubakar Support Group to the ruling party was a startling revelation that the main opposition party was in disarray.

“ The opposition party is divided, it is incongruous, always disagreeing among themselves.

“But we aren’t going to join issues with them. Jonathan has developed all sectors, he has revolutionised  agriculture; he has also revolutionised the railway in this country.

Goodluck is doing well, I congratulate you on seeing the wisdom and you are all welcome,” he said.

Declaring their support for the president, the coordinator of the support group, Peter Ogar said their decision was informed by the conviction that the Jonathan administration meant well for Nigerian youths.