By Emmanuel Mogbede
The All Progressives Congress (APC) described as “dubious and misleading’’, the recent endorsement of Alhaji Abubakar Atiku of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) by Ohaneze Ndigbo.
Malam Lanre Issa-Onilu said on Friday in Abuja at a news briefing while reacting to the development, which he said was a miss representation of the interest of Ndigbo.
The APC spokesman, however, said that the purported endorsement may have been done by Atiku’s friends whom he had publicly promised to make rich if he became the country’s president.
He added that Ndigbo should beware of PDP, and Atiku’s restructuring deceit.
“We find it curious that the presidential candidate of the PDP has tactically avoided speaking on his touted restructuring plans during his campaigns.
“Our observation comes against the backdrop of the now disputed communique issued by some members of Ohaneze Ndigbo on the 2019 general elections.
“With a few members of Ohaneze falling for Atiku’s antics, it has now become clear that the purported endorsement of Atiku’s presidential ambition does not enjoy the support of most of the Igbos.
“One of such proofs is the statement by the Anambra Government’s dissociating the state from the dubious endorsement of Atiku contained in the equally disputed communique,” he said.
He added that with the development, it was obvious that few people in Ohaneze were trying to misrepresent the interest of the Ndigbo.
He wondered whether these people were part of Atiku’s friends whom he promised to make rich if he became the country’s next president.
Issa-Onilu added that besides Atiku’s deceitful restructuring promise, the Igbo people had nothing else to gain from his presidency.
He further added that under the President Muhammadu Buhari APC-led administration, 69 verifiable projects had been commissioned, saying that while some were on-going, others had been completed.
Issa-Onilu said the situation would only get better under an APC- led administration.
“About 69 verifiable road and bridge projects are on-going in the South-East, this is unprecedented in the history of our nation.
“Although the contracts for many of the roads were awarded by past PDP administrations, they were either poorly funded or not funded at all, hence work on the road and bridge projects were previously stalled.
“Currently, the roads and bridges, which are spread across the five states in the South-East, are in different stages of completion.
“Thanks to the funding sourced by the President Buhari-led APC administration from budgetary allocations, the SUKUK Bond and the Presidential Infrastructure Development Fund,” he said.
