Ndume: With Atiku as PDP candidate, 2019 election a walkover for Buhari

Ali Ndume, senator representing Borno south, says the 2019 election will be a walkover for President Muhammadu Buhari.

The senator said Atiku Abubakar, presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), is not a threat to Buhari’s chances of getting re-elected.

Speaking at a NAN forum on Monday in Abuja, Ndume said: “Next election is a walk-over with Atiku. We were anxious when PDP was to organise their primaries but when Atiku emerged, we were glad for so many reasons.

“Atiku was our Vice President for eight years and he was one of the most powerful vice presidents we ever had and we know what he did. He was under former President Obasanjo and in his book ‘Under My Watch’, he voluntarily described who the presidential candidate is.

“We all know where we were and where we are now. Had it been they are presenting a new person, someone that Nigerians do not know, that may have been a threat but with Atiku, no way.

“We have to vote for him (Buhari) because we know where we were with the government of PDP in my state, including my local government, my town and even my house were taken over by Boko Haram.

“It was the government of President Muhammadu Buhari that salvaged the situation and now my people are back to our local government. Atiku was the vice president and one of the richest Nigerians ever, but I cannot remember Atiku taking even a bag of rice to our people that are suffering in Borno and he wants to be our president.”

Ndume said the PDP is not new to Nigerians, saying the opposition party was rejected four years ago.

He also allayed fears that the 2019 elections may be marred by violence.