Olusegun Bamgbose, National Coordinator, Concerned Advocates for Good Governance (CAGG) has described former Vice President Atiku Abubakar as ethically and morally unfit and ineligible to contest the 2023 presidential election.
AFNews recalls that Atiku’s son, Adamu Abubakar, had revealed that his father will run for president again in 2023.
He said: “Personally, I don’t see anything wrong with my father contesting for the presidency.
“In 2023, my father will be aspiring to the number one office in the land because he has been an astute, strategic, master politician for almost four decades.”
In a statement on Tuesday, Bamgbose noted that there is a very strong indication that Atiku may likely contest again come 2023.
He admitted that the former Presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) was constitutionally qualified to contest.
Bamgbose, who has also declared his presidential interest, said: “There is still a subsisting unwritten gentleman agreement, that power should, as a matter of political convenience, rotate between the North and the South.
“In 2023, other things being equal, President Buhari would have spent 8 years as the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
“Power, ordinarily should shift to the South. Atiku’s Presidential ambition come 2023 will constitute a flagrant breach of the gentleman agreement.
“In essence, it’s morally and politically despicable for Atiku to still indicate interest in 2023 Presidential elections. It’s unjust and unpatriotic of him to insist on contesting again come 2023.
“Where is his professed love for one Nigeria? Does he truly have regard for the youths of this country? Does he really consider the interest of the Southerners? His ambition will certainly jeopardize his political reputation.
“It’s my humble view that it’s time for Atiku to call it a quit from politics. He should give room for others to come up. He should forget his Presidential ambition for the sake of justice, equity and fair play.
Bamgbose asked Atiku Abubakar to throw in the towel and be a mentor or elder statesman If truly he believes in one Nigeria.
He commended Mallam Nasir El-Rufai for saying there is no justification for a Northerner to take over power, after Buhari’s eight years as President.
“He believes that it’s just for the power to go back to the South. He further said earlier this year, ‘I think that every politician of honour should understand and abide by that consensus.’ He was referring to rotational Presidency.
“He wonderfully capped it up by submitting it this way ‘I want to say that those of us from Northern Nigeria honour agreements. We do not violate unwritten political agreements, and I will be the last person to lead in violating that agreement’,” Bamgbose added.