Atiku not part of northern consensus arrangement — Dokpesi

 Former Vice President and leading presidential aspirant, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, has said that he was never a party to the northern consensus arrangement.

The Technical Committee for the Actualization of Atiku Abubakar’s Presidency in 2023, in a statement by its chairman, High Chief Raymond Dokpesi, said the former VP did not subject himself to any purported consensus process and thus not bound by any of the recommendations and conclusions of the report.

“As an avowed nationalist, Waziri Atiku Abubakar strongly believes that Nigeria has never been as divided as it is today.

“He strongly believes that any ‘consensus’ arrangement premised on any regional, zonal, ethno-religious, and/or sectional gang-up will further deepen and widen this divide, and worsen the wounds that urgently need to be healed.

“Consequently, Atiku Abubakar is anxious to implement plans, policies and programmes that will rescue and rebuild Nigeria.

“This is his unwavering and resolute pledge and commitment,” he said

The Committee which said it has been inundated with several calls and text messages on the purported consensus, urged its supporters and other critical stakeholders to continue with consultations and town hall meetings with delegates across the country.

“We urge them neither to be deterred nor distracted in our collective mission to rescue our nation,” he said.

It would be recalled that Prof Ango Abdullahi, Magajin Rafin Zazzau, on Friday, released the report of consensus efforts amongst four aspirants of northern extraction within the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP.

The aspirants, who presented themselves for the said exercise were Sokoto governor, Aminu Tambuwwal; his colleague from Bauchi, Bala Mohammed; former Senate President, Bukola Saraki and Mohammed Hayatu-Deen.

Saraki and Mohammed were placed on the list released by Prof. Abdullahi.