Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar on Tuesday reiterated his intention to contest for the position of the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria in 2019 poll.

This was contained in a statement issued by Special Assistant to the Rivers State Governor, Electronic Media, Simeon Nwakaudu a few minutes ago.

Atiku made his intention known at the Government House Port Harcourt during a visit Governor Nyesom Wike and PDP leaders.

He said he is offering himself to set the country on the path of growth after the serial failure of the APC, adding that since 2015, the APC-led Federal Government has destroyed the education, health and infrastructural sectors through poor budgetary allocations and releases.

He said,

“Since 2015, we have not seen a 100kilometres constructed by the APC Federal Government anywhere in the country. “

The former vice president said that the APC government has destroyed the foundation of unity and cohesion of the country.

He said,

“I have never seen Nigeria so divided along religious, ethnic and regional lines. This division is as a result of the mismanagement of the APC.”

The presidential hopeful called for the unity of the country, saying that no component part of the country should progress alone.

He called on the state’s PDP stakeholders to support his ambition to emerge as the party’s presidential candidate.

Meanwhile, Wike who played host to the former vice president urged all Nigerians to take up the solemn responsibility of sacking the non-performing APC Federal Government in 2019.

Governor Wike urged all PDP members irrespective of their status to ensure that the march to the Presidential Villa is not truncated by disunity.

He urged all PDP presidential aspirants to contest within acceptable limits as the race is not a do-or-die affair, but a movement to oust a failed APC federal government.

Wike said,

“Every Presidential Aspirant must see himself as a member of the larger PDP family. We must do everything to ensure that PDP returns to the Presidential Villa in 2019.

“Only one aspirant will become a candidate. We will do everything to ensure that the party comes out with a candidate that has a track record to upstage the APC.”

The governor said that he has received former Jigawa State Governor, Dr Sule Lamido and now Atiku, noting that other aspirants will be offered the platform to consult with the state PDP members.

Governor Wike said,

“God will make sure that the right candidate emerges. When the right candidate emerges, we will team up and remove this bad government.

“There is no benefit that Rivers State has gotten from this APC Federal Government. All the APC Federal Government is doing is plotting to rig the 2019 elections.”

He said Atiku has the right qualification to fly the PDP flag, noting that he should extend his consultations.

Atiku was accompanied on the trip by Former Ogun State Governor, Otunba Gbenga Daniel, Former Enugu State Governor, Dr Okwesilieze Nwodo, Former Attorney General of the Federation, Michael Aondoakaa and Senator Abdul Ningi.

He also met with state and Federal Lawmakers, caretaker committee chairmen of Local Government Areas and party leaders.

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