Osita Okechukwu, a founding member of the All Progressives Congress (APC), has cautioned Nigerians not to be swayed by Atiku Abubakar's strong desire to become president.
According to Daily Post, his remarks come in response to the release of President Bola Tinubu's certificate by Chicago State University, as ordered by the court. These documents have sparked controversy due to perceived discrepancies.
Okechukwu, who serves as the Director General of Voice of Nigeria (VON), argued that the 2023 PDP presidential candidate lacks the moral high ground to speak about the rule of law.
He pointed out that Atiku had previously violated the PDP's constitution and the national rotation convention, which are essential principles for unity and justice in the country.
He urged Atiku to step down from his pursuit of the presidency and apologize to the PDP members he had betrayed, as well as to the Igbo community, who had placed their hopes in the PDP for over two decades, expecting a chance in the 2023 presidential election.
He cautioned against following Atiku's ambition, which he described as inordinate, and emphasized the need to protect Nigeria's democracy, which has been improving with each election cycle.
While acknowledging flaws in the 2023 presidential election, he stressed the importance of safeguarding the country's democracy from anti-democratic influences in the West African region.
In his view, Atiku's ambition appears to be driving him towards recklessness, risking the stability of the nation. He highlighted his past infractions under the PDP's constitution and the rotation convention governing the 4th Republic.
He concluded by suggesting that if Atiku had followed the principles of the rotation convention and statesmanship, the presidential election could have been a contest between Tinubu and Obi, both from the southern region.