Presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, has said the PDP is waiting for the G5 and the Integrity Group to return to the party.
He said he remained committed to bringing a quick end to the crisis within his party and ensure that all chieftains of the party goes into the February 25 presidential election as one.
Speaking while fielding questions from Nigerians at the Peoples Townhall Forum organised for Presidential Candidates of political parties by the Channels Television on Sunday, Mr Atiku said despite the seeming disagreement, he is optimistic that Nigerians would soon see the end of the crisis and the party will emerge stronger and better.
Atiku attended the programme with his Vice Presidential running mate and Governor of Delta State Governor Dr Ifeanyichukwu Arthur Okowa.
His position is coming on a day that Governor Wike and another chieftain of the Integrity Group Chief Olabode George speaking at different fora, said their ranks cannot be infiltrated or broken and their fight for justice cannot be ignored or swept under the carpet.
Speaking at a church programme in Rivers State on Sunday, Mr Wike insisted he and his team were fighting for justice in the PDP and would not stop until justice and equity is restored.
He wondered why it is cheaper for the party to campaign for power rotation but work against same by ensuring that both the presidency as well as the National Chairman positions are held by one single zone to the detriment of the others are you saying that is fair, is there equity? We are saying no. It is not fair for power to go back to the North when it is the same zone that produced President Muhammadu Buhari. That is what we are saying and we would not stop saying so. We would not rest until the party dies what is right and they can still do that before February next year.
Chief Bode George towed the same line of argument, insisting that the south too deserved a shot at the presidency or it that has been zoned out and irreversible, we can accept that the position of the National Chairman come back to the South. He said this is just fair and equitable and the party must do the needful at this time to avoid allowing this to affect its chances at the polls next year.
But responding to the question from Nigerians on why he has not been able to meet with the Rivers State Governor Mr Nyesom Wike and the G5 Governors, and other aggrieved stakeholders, Atiku said on the contrary, he had met Governor Wike and had extended an olive branch through him to all aggrieved members he represents five times, all in the bid to resolve the crisis in the party.
I have met Governor Wike five times, twice in Abuja, twice in Port Harcourt, and once in London, and I believe I do not habour any animosity against him and I believe he does not hold anything against me too. So the problem is not with me but rather with him and his team.
“I have met with Governor Wike severally. I met with him five times; twice in Port Harourt, twice in Abuja and once in London. As we speak we are still speaking, and I believe very soon, we shall overcome our challenges and emerge stronger,” Atiku said.
Meanwhile the PDP Presidential candidate said he and his running mate would be willing to use local medical facilities and not rush to medical facilities outside the country if elected into office.
Expantiating on the party’s elaborate plan for health, both Atiku and Okowa said while the focu would be on boosting the Primary Healthcare across the local government areas in the country, they would work at ensuring that all subnational governments also upgrade the secondary healthcare facilities in their domain in order to ensure that both drugs and personnel are available on demand while the private sector would be encouraged to help establish more robust tertiary health facilities to cater for specialist services which may not be readily available in many of the PHCs or secondary health facilities.
They both said since people seeking medical attention are going to private hospitals abroad, more capital could be retained if the private sector are encouraged to provide similar services locally and everything needed to ensure their profitability is provided.