2019: Group Declares Support for Atiku
…Insists Only Atiku Can Defeat Buhari in Election
By Gboyega Olunuga, June 23, 2018 – Lagos
A group under the aegis of Association of Economic Freedom Advocators (AEFA) has declared support for the former Vice President, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, who recently reconciled with his former Party, the Peoples
Democratic Party.
The group made the declaration at a Press Conference during its 3rd Annual General Meeting held on June 22nd, 2018 in Lagos.
Although the former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar is yet to formally declare his intention, the group asked him to do so, saying it would mobilise Nigerians on his behalf.
Addressing journalists at the Press Conference conveyed for the declaration, the National Secretary of the Association, Mr. Omosola A. Timothy, said his group believes that Nigeria is in dire need of Mr. Abubakar’s service to urgently rescue the economy of the nation.
He reiterated that, one of the cardinal objectives of the vanguard is to evaluate and declare its support base for the most credible and competent leaders with the experience to lead Nigeria out of woods when it matters most.
According to the group, after a critical look at all the candidates, it has decided to support former Vice President Atiku Abubakar because of his wealth of experience and knowledge of the Nigerian economy.
“Gentle men of the Press, it is an honour and privilege to stand before you not just as a group of patriotic Nigerians of like minds, but also as citizens under the umbrella body of Association of Economic Freedom Advocators (AEFA), whose common interest is not limited to poverty eradication, but in pursuant of good governance, fight against corruption and the delivery of good governance to the citizenry for economic growth and prosperity.
“The formation of this progressive pressure group, which has Coordinators in the 36 States of the Federation as well as in the diaspora, was borne out of the need to create a platform for sustained dialogue towards finding better alternatives for resolving many of the multi-faceted challenges facing our beloved country, Nigeria.
“It is suffice to note that, our country is at a crossroads and requires urgent solution”
“Nigeria is in dire need of a leader with a track-record of credibility and empathy, a leader with vast political and administrative experience, a focused and detribalised leader with friends beyond ethno-religion borders.”
“These are qualities we have found in the former Vice President, Atiku Abukar, as one leader qith strong character and memorable antecedents” he added.
Mr. Timothy provided more reasons why his group believes Mr. Abubakar should be Nigeria’s next president. He said the group took the decision to support Atiku because Buhari has failed in providing good governance and security adding that Atiku has what it takes to take Nigeria out of its economic quagmire.
“For us in AEFA, having perused Atiku’s intimidating credential, we hereby declare our supports base for Atiku, as the only man who can help rescue this nation from the grip of Muhammadu Buhari and cohorts.”
“Our involvement has gone beyond appealing to Nigerians, we see this project as a mission of compulsion, a commitment on our parts to join force with His Excellency in the race to the 2019 presidency, and support him in necessary areas to save this country from imminent collapsed, more importantly out of the present economic doldrums and parochial administration of APC led administration” he stressed.
Mr. Abubakar served as vice president under President Olusegun Obasanjo from 1999 to 2007, on the platform of People’s Democratic Party, PDP. He was until defection back to PDP, a leader of Nigeria’s ruling party but has complained of being side-lined in the governance of the country.
