A pro-Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on the platform of the Democratic Forum for Justice and Equity (DFJE) said it has shifted loyalty to the Governor of Bauchi state and a leading Presidential aspirant of the party, Alhaji Bala Mohammed, to emerge as PDP’s flagbearer.
The group which boasted of about three million members nationwide said it regretted supporting the former governor of Anambra State in the first place.
Peter Obi withdrew his presidential aspiration on the platform of PDP and left the party two days ago.
But in a statement released Friday in Abuja by its national coordinator, Malam Isah Ajilete, said it was on the bases of equity and fairness for the Southeast that it initially declared support for Obi.
The statement said: “We have withdrawn our support for Peter Obi, having realised that he is an unstable politician who has taken his desperation to a selfish level. We made bold to say that we regretted ever supporting Peter Obi in the first place and we have since shifted our loyalty to a stable politician in the person of Alhaji Bala Mohammed.
“It is a known fact that Bala Mohammed is the most loyal presidential aspirant among all those seeking the ticket of the party. Bala Mohammed’s region of the northeast has also never tasted the seat of the President like the South-east, hence our support for the Bauchi state governor.”
The forum said governor Bala Mohammed’s record of achievements as Senator, Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) and current governor, “coupled with the fact that his geopolitical zone of North-east has never tasted the exalted seat of President was centre of attraction to the PDP presidential aspirant among others.
“Therefore, we have directed all our zonal chapters and state coordinators to reach out and mobilise all the identified real delegates to cast their ballots for Governor Bala Mohammed.”
The forum also appealed to the National Working Committee of the PDP and other stakeholders to consider the “widely acknowledged consensus-building capacity, age, education, experience and leadership qualities of Bala Mohammed in the selection of the presidential candidate this weekend.”
The group equally pointed out Governor Mohammed’s achievement in Bauchi in the last three and half years, noting that he has transformed the state to a modern citiy.
” If you go to Bauchi state you will see for yourself the state is construction site. This is the type of person we need at the helm of affairs now in Nigeria because our country is in dire need of such a person with tested capacity.”
According to the statement, Mohammed’s management and leadership qualities are apparent to all.
“We note more profoundly that Bala Mohammed is a bridge-builder and a widely accepted politician across the North and the South,” the statement said.