We Stand with Ohanaeze, Afenifere NEF, others on Atiku – Groups

Different groups from major regional blocs in the country have come together under the auspices of Joint Progressive Action Group (JPAG) to declare support for the leading socio-cultural groups which recently met in Abuja and endorsed the candidature of Alhaji Atiku Abubakar of the PDP.

JPAG which stated this in a press statement jointly signed by Chief Kola Adepoju for the Yoruba Alliance Group (JAG), Alhaji Abdullahi Shehu for the Arewa Renewal Mandate Group (ARMG), Chief Obioma Okereafor for Southeast Progressive Union (SEPU), Apostle Horyen Pwajok for the Middle Belt Coalition for Progress (MBCP) and James Ekpenyong for the Niger Delta Restoration Forum (NDRF), and released to the media on Tuesday, February 5, said its decision to back the five foremost groups on their endorsement of Atiku was “predicated on the parlous situation which the country has found itself and for which there must be an urgent change of government at the polls on February 16 before the situation becomes totally irredeemable.

“It will be unreasonable for us to ignore the very obvious dangerous signs of a failing nation staring us in the face in the name of ethnicity or religion and watch our nation collapse on us”, it stated.

The Group also went further to say that “Buhari’s deficiencies in governance which have sharply divided our nation along mundane lines cannot be allowed to continue. It is time for every Nigerian of goodwill and good conscience to rise up and do the needful on February 16 to ensure that this charade of a political process is quickly brought to an end.

“It is in view of this that we lend our voices to the recent endorsement of Atiku by the Afenifere, Middle Belt Forum, Northern Elders Forum, Ohanaeze Ndigbo and the Pan Niger Delta Forum. We are very much convinced beyond any iota of doubt that this is the right step to take for the sake of our nation and posterity”, the statement concluded.