The former Vice President and presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the 2023 elections, Atiku Abubakar, has extended his congratulations to governors whose elections were upheld by the Supreme Court on Friday.
The apex court delivered a verdict in favor of opposition party governors, including Bala Mohammed (Bauchi), Dauda Lawal (Zamfara), Caleb Muftwang (Plateau), and Abba Yusuff (Kano), solidifying their positions.
Atiku, expressing his felicitations to the governors through a statement from his media office, also affirmed his readiness to lead a coalition of opposition political parties against the All Progressives Congress (APC).
In a recent proposal for the merger of all opposition political parties, Atiku hosted the National Executive Committee of the Inter-Party Advisory Council of Nigeria, emphasizing the need to challenge the APC’s perceived transformation of Nigeria into a one-party dictatorship.
“We have all seen how the APC is increasingly turning Nigeria into a dictatorship of one party. If we don’t come together to challenge what the ruling party is trying to create, our democracy will suffer for it, and the consequences of it will affect the generations yet unborn,” Atiku asserted.
Regarding the Supreme Court’s judgment, Atiku hailed it as a victory for democracy, especially for the people of Bauchi, Plateau, Akwa Ibom, and Zamfara states. He urged the respective PDP governors to view the verdict as an opportunity to consolidate and expand the scope of good governance.
“As patriots and citizens, we will always applaud when justice is seen to have been substantially rendered. There is a guaranteed continuation of the standards of good governance which the PDP has brought to the respective states,” Atiku remarked.
With the electioneering phase concluded, Atiku expressed certainty that the PDP would now focus on its role as the major opposition party in the country, emphasizing the importance of a united opposition force to strengthen democracy in Nigeria.