Ibekimi Oriamaja Reports
Festus Keyamo, the spokesperson for the All Progressives Congress, APC, presidential Campaign Council, has urged Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, presidential candidate Atiku Abubakar to withdraw from the race.
Keyamo accused Atiku of using the ethnic card ahead of the 2023 presidential election and suggested that he drop out of the race.
He was responding to Atiku’s remark that Nigeria needs a pan-Nigerian president in 2023, not a Yoruba or Igbo president.
On Saturday in Kaduna, Atiku urged Nigerians to vote for him because he is a pan-Nigerian.
The Minister of State for Labour and Employment condemned the remark and accused the PDP presidential candidate of introducing ethnic bias into his campaign.
Keyamo wrote in a series of tweets, “This is the height of desperation & daredevilry on Atiku’s part!”
“It is horrifying, horrifying, and thoughtless for Atiku Abubakar to use ethnicity to campaign, claiming that the North does not require a Yoruba or Igbo candidate?” My God! Atiku must withdraw from the race IMMEDIATELY!
“Instead of taking the honorable route of apologizing to Nigerians or stepping down honorably from the race, some of his hirelings have brought out their hammers and nails to try to panel-beat this clear and obvious statement.” This damage will not be repaired by’repackaging’ or ‘panel-beating.'”
