Bala Mohammed: Atiku qualified to be president — but he is old and tired

Bala Mohammed, governor of Bauchi state, says former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar is qualified to be president but age is not on his side.

The former vice-president is 75 years old.

Speaking when he received a report from a contact and consultation committee he set up for his presidential ambition, Mohammed said Atiku is fatigued from his labour for the country.

The governor said if Nigerians want Atiku to be president, he will support him because he is not desperate for the highest office in the country.

“There is no need for us to be greedy,” the presidential aspirant said.

“Of course, my presidency will not cause division. You can see that at the time that my elder brother, Malam Adamu was going round, we invited our elder statesman, the one that we respect so much, the Waziri Adamawa [Atiku Abubakar], we named a road after him.

“We invited him to Bauchi and we interacted and I told him that in this game, I know he is the most senior, he is very qualified but because of his age and fatigue that he has suffered so much for Nigeria.

“He should allow his younger brother to be his spare tyre not to take over just like that.

“But if Nigerians prefer him, I will support him. I am not too desperate but he should know that Nigerians like me too. And whatever he wants, I will do it for him, so this is our agreement, he has the highest respect from me.”

Atiku who was the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presidential candidate in 2019 is yet to indicate his interest in running for president in 2023.

Last week, Raymond Dokpesi, former chairman of Daar Communications, said the former vice-president will serve for one term if elected president in 2023.