Former Spokesman of the Atiku Abubakar Campaign Organisation and PDP governorship candidate in Ogun state, Segun Sowunmi, has described as mere rumour and exaggeration, the alleged dollarization of the just concluded presidential primary of the party.
He spoke while reacting to questions on TVC’s Breakfast on Monday.
“I think that we must be careful that we do not allow rumour to become fact. The truth remains that people will throw up everything and anything. I am not particularly accepting that the process was monetized excessively, safe for those that can be proven. If you are looking for Political parties that dollarises and criminalises the process, it’s APC. Nobody should try to blackmail or take anything from our primary that is adjudged to be best.”
Mr Sowunmi who also spoke on the allegation that emergency of Atiku Abubakar as the candidate of the party is against the clamour for power shift to the South, said “the whole concept of zoning is a party affairs and must not be seen as constitutional. The country is divided into six zones and we must not just think it is three zones of the South against the north. The emergence of Atiku has not affected Nigeria’s unity, rather the burden of unity lies with APC.”
Speaking on the strengthen of its candidate, Mr Sowunmi stated that Atiku Abubakar is a pan-Nigerian who will represent the interest of all Nigerians irrespective of their tribe or religion.
The governorship candidate, however cautioned cultural groups like PANDEF, Arewa Consultative Forum, Afenifere and others to steer clear of political matters and allow political parties manage its affairs. ” I have advised that PANDEF, Arewa, Afenifere and others need to be told not to jump into political matters as if they are political parties. They should not be seen usurping the powers of political parties.”
On whether the party has the capacity to manage the fallout of the presidential primary, Mr Sowunmi noted that PDP will reach out to everybody and reconcile all groups, while nothing that there are no dissenting voices.
“It is the responsibility of the party to present a candidate. If there is an equity challenge, nobody should address that to PDP rather the APC, because it has only produced its president from the northwest.”
“I am telling Nigerians that politics is not for the lily-livered. What happened at the primary is that delegates voted for a unifier.
On zoning, Mr Sowunmi said “I have maintained consistently that the place of birth is just an accident of history that no one can repair. The only equity challenge that we have is the Southeast because the region has not been able to produce president.
“Sometimes, the political gladiators from the other side will always wish that only crises will exits from the camp of their rivals, but hello, you can go to the bank with this, the political process from ‘tomorrow’ will show that PDP is a big party. We’ll hug ourselves and unite one another”.
“I am telling Nigerians that your darling party is back, we have given you a darling candidate that you know well, Even with the congratulatory message from Asiwaju, it shows that he knows the worth of Atiku. By the grace of God, Atiku will win.
