Champion Newspapers Limited
For a better society

2019: Ezekwesili’s Red Card Movement endorses Atiku’s Presidency

13
Print Friendly, PDF & Email

OBIORA IFOH, Abuja

Members of Red Card Movement (RCM) on Thursday threw their weight behind the Presidential Candidate of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Atiku Abubakar, saying it is not healthy for the group to sit on the fence.

They maintained that the initial purpose of the movement was to send both the Presidential candidates of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and PDP packing but informed that the reality on ground shows that the other candidates put together cannot get 10per cent of total vote cast hence their preference for Atiku who has the capacity to wrestle power from the present administration.

The Co-chair of the movement, Dr. Tony Akabuno, acknowledged that RCM started in January 2018, through series of tweets by Dr. Oby Ezekwesili and later transformed into citizens’ movement. He noted that the purpose of the movement was disruptive as it was positioned to issue ‘Red Card’ to the two dominant political parties (APC & PDP) but could not provide a clear direction on whom to support for the Presidential election.

He stressed that Ezekwesili later resigned membership of the group to pursue his Presidential ambition. He said that the movement which still remains non-partisan has membership across the 36 states plus FCT, 774 LGA, wards , polling units and institutions of higher learning and also had foot soldier’s in every part of the country.

“Dr. Oby joined the presidential race in October 2018. Some citizens felt the midwife suddenly became the baby.

“After several failed attempts by RCM, at midwifing a coalition of the alternatives, our members that are on the ground at a meeting with co-conveners, resolved that the primary focus should be how to ensure that the present Buhari led regime is voted out of power. The state champions confirmed that the reality of what is on the field (feedback from our structures and members in the States, LGA, Wards and polling units) is that only the opposition party (PDP) has the capacity to dislodge Buhari.

“The state champions were basically saying that our Red Card should be to Buhari and the current president and to APC as the ruling party. As the co-chair of RCM, I decided to align with our foot soldiers. Some co-conveners also supported this position of focusing on reviewing the performance of the leadership in power, and not be distracted with historical performance of past regimes.

“We believe that it is myopic and grandiose delusion for anyone to think that any other political party can dislodge this failed APC, apart from PDP.”

He stated that those who demonize Atiku Abubakar, are either envious, hateful or ignorant, adding that he could not have looted the nation’s treasury as Vice President while Obasanjo is seen as clean. He said that Atiku is a successful businessman and he capacity to revive the nations economy.

“Atiku’s policies will take Nigeria out of the woods and put the country back on track. Atiku’s promise of restructuring the nation and provision of jobs for the unemployed are key to a nation’s development and the Red Card Movement is ready to lend our weight behind the PDP candidate in order not to have a repeat of the 2015 scenario. We are on the same page with Atiku and whatever we do, we do it well.

“We the leaders of RCM are not in doubt that Atiku/Obi ticket is the most efficacious brand that can send Buhari to Daura. We have come today to tell the world and our members, that the state champions, the co-chair (Dr.Tony Akabuno) and other co-conveners have dissociated from Oby Ezekwesili and today declares support for the Atiku/Obi Presidency.”

They directed hundreds of thousands of their members to take action and begin to canvas for votes for Atiku/Obi ticket under PDP.

For a better society

Comments are closed.