Presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Atiku Abubakar says he is the best bet for the northerners among the presidential candidates because he knows the people and they do not need candidates from other tribes.
Atiku made the remarks when he featured as a guest of the Arewa Joint Committee interactive sessions alongside other presidential candidates from other political parties on Saturday in Kaduna.
The session, which took place at the Arewa House, was attended by leaders of socio-cultural bodies in northern Nigeria.
The interactive session was organised by several groups, including the Arewa Consultative Forum, Arewa House, Sir Ahmadu Bello Memorial Foundation, Northern Elders Forum and Arewa Research and Development Project, among others.
Asked why northerners should vote for him, Atiku said, “What the average northerner needs is somebody who’s from the north and also understands that part of the country and has been able to build bridges across the country.
“This is what the northerner needs, it doesn’t need a Yoruba or Igbo candidate, I stand before you as a pan-Nigerian of northern origin.”
In May, Atiku deleted a tweet made with his handle which condemned the lynching of a Christian student, Deborah Samuel, at Shehu Shagari College of Education in Sokoto for alleged blasphemy against Prophet Muhammad.
According to Atiku, his aide who made the tweet did not seek his approval.
