The presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar has denied having an anointed aspirant for the Kogi PDP governorship primary election.
OsunDaily News reports that Atiku made this known in a statement on Tuesday by his Media Adviser, Paul Ibe.
The former Vice-President dismissed several media reports insinuating his involvement in the democratic process of electing the gubernatorial flag bearer for the PDP in the upcoming Kogi State governorship election.
The statement reads: “We wish to state categorically that such media reports are false and gross fabrication.
“Atiku is a consummate democrat and the hallmark of his political struggles has been for the enablement of internal democracy in party politics.
“It is therefore absurd to suggest that Atiku has a preferred candidate in the primary election to produce the governorship candidate of the PDP in the Kogi State election – or in any primary election, for that matter.
“For the avoidance of any doubts, Atiku Abubakar has no anointed candidate in the Kogi State primary election.
“He believes that the decision to elect the flag bearer of the PDP in the coming election in the Confluence State is the responsibility of electors in that primary election.
“He therefore urges anyone amongst the candidates to desist from peddling influence with his name and, indeed, calls on the media not to lay prostrate to any blackmail against him.
“Atiku believes that all the aspirants in the election are up to the task of flying the flag of our great party, the PDP and the electors should be given the unfettered rights to perform their constituted duty of electing the best person for the PDP.”
