2019 Presidential Election: Group projects Atiku in Cross River
Cross River State Chapter of The People's Democratic Movement PDM a platform through which the PDP was established has concluded plans to support the Presidential ambition of Atiku Abubakar in the forthcoming presidential elections come 2019.
According to the state coordinator, Engr Pius Okpa, PDM has always been disposed to contributing to the political process of Africa's most populous country, Nigeria. Okpa informed that the political movement houses over 40 political support groups. In a communique issued at the end of the meeting which held at Planet Hotel, State Housing Estate, Calabar and signed by Okpa and the Deputy Coordinator, Dorncklaimz Enamhe a long standing associate of the Waziri Adamawa, PDM resolved as follows :
*Cross River must not play a withdrawn role in the forthcoming general elections especially in respect of the politics at the centre;
*Cross River must contribute to the emergence of a presidential candidate;
*Cross River must support Atiku's political aspiration come 2019;
*Cross River must rally this support beginning from an overwhelming base from the grassroot particularly the polling unit of each wards, LGA, Senatorial District, and state;
While granting an interview to pressmen immediately after the meeting of the group, Okpa observed that PDM's coming together is to organise itself for readiness in view of the forthcoming general elections.
According to him, 'I am a foundation member of PDM —People’s Democratic Movement, this is a political platform that has been in existence right from the days preceding SDP. It started as People’s Front and gradually metamorphosed into PDM. It is the principal movement that brought about PDP; as you can see you just remove the ‘M’ and put in the ‘P’, it becomes a political party so this is the group that has been behind PDP from its foundation.
'As a political family, which has always sort to be part of the political process in this country. You know we are gradually entering another political process, so our coming together today as the family in Cross River State is to organise ourselves in readiness for the forth coming series of political activities; we want to be able to participate. You can see behind me is a banner featuring Atiku, his name is there not just as a man who has just left APC to and hoping probably he will join PDP, no, he is the leader of PDM.
'He is our leader, it’s a PDM meeting. So, as a political family, definitely we will listen to him first, —Oga, are you running? If you are running we are behind you. Oga, if you are not running who are we supporting?
'PDM will support a candidate, either from the family or outside the family; PDM will work for the family, PDM has always worked for a presidential candidate. So we are getting ready to work for a presidential candidate that PDM national will point a finger to'.
On his part, Mr Enamhe popularly referred to as DC said, Atiku is a formidable candidate whose economy is strong, and his mobilisation solid.
His words, 'At a point we thought we got it right at the 1994/95 confab, until Gen. Abacha locked up late General Shehu Musa Y’ardua. Most of us lost it; we came back again through the emergence of Atiku, as at then, the Turaki of Adamawa; after being elected as governor of Adamawa state, got elevated to the seat of Vice President, upon the election he won with the PDM.
'We had a government that was running, it was clear that we needed to have a one term government for president Obansanjo, and so we had that which we thought was a gentleman’s agreement. So we’ve learnt our lessons. At different times we’ve gone through so many things which make Waziri Atiku Abubakar one of the formidable African aspirants on earth.
'Formidable in the sense that his economy is strong, his outfit is strong, his mobilization scheme is strong, his gifting to mechanism is strong and above all he fears God.
'You know, this notice was short and they came from across the 18 LGAs and you listen to them speak, their passion for PDM and Waziri Atiku Abubakar, as beyond compare is so strong that we will work the work and He doesn’t work alone you know. This time we will be in the presidency'.
It could be recalled that the PDM is one of the political movement that collapsed to follow the PDP in 1998. Recall also that Atiku declared his official defection to the PDP yesterday, Sunday 3rd November.
Present at the occasion were Rt Hon. Mark Obi, Engr. Pius Okpa (Cross River state coordinator PDM), a long standing political associate of former Vice President Waziri Atiku Abubakar and chieftain of the PDM Chief Dr. Dornclaims Enahme, Ambo, Ekpenyong (Director General, De-Mandate Advocate Group and Co-Cordinator, Nigeria's Future Leaders Movement), Jimmy Anenige, Cross River State Coordinator of AtikuNation, Rt.Hon. Ete-Ene, Umo Antigua aka Toby, coordinator Atiku Support Group, CRS and host of others from different support groups.