Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar is too old to rule Nigeria come 2023, a Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) support group, PDP Action 2023, has said.

The group’s chairman, Rufus Omeire, in a statement issued in Abuja on Wednesday, advised Mr Abubakar not to bother contesting for presidency in 2023. 

“We think that time has come for Abubakar to step aside and allow others, preferably the younger generation, to step forward,” he said.

Mr Omeire said Mr Abubakar should rather look towards becoming the party’s Board of Trustees chairman.

“He can be asked to take the position of the Chairman PDP Board of Trustees where he will play an advisory role to younger politicians, as an elder statesman,” he advised.

Mr Abubakar, who lost the 2019 presidential election to President Muhammadu Buhari, would be 77 years old in 2023.

The group also accused Abubakar of abandoning the party and Nigerians after the 2019 general elections.

“It is very shameful that since he lost the presidential election, he moved to Dubai, abandoning all members of PDP, all the stakeholders, and millions of ordinary Nigerians who voted for him and PDP in 2019.

“It is a betrayal of trust for Abubakar to neglect the feelings and sacrifices of ordinary voters who supported him and PDP in 2019.

“Now 2023 elections are once again at hand, he has returned and started politicking once again. Apparently, the only thing he is very good at is politics.”

The group also accused Abubakar of abandoning the party at its time of crisis but to come around during the presidential election.

“Also, he is widely considered detached from the PDP anytime the party is in turbulence, but only gets active in party affairs when it’s about time for presidential nominations.

“Several groups and individuals in the PDP have accused him of abandoning them shortly after he lost the 2019 presidential election,” the statement read in part.

The group said that since Mr Abubakar returned from Morocco he had not attended to the PDP crisis, but only visited Governors Nyesom Wike of Rivers, Godwin Obaseki of Edo and Udom Emmanuel of Akwa Ibom States.

It added that Mr Abubakar also attended the funeral of the father of Governor Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta.

“However, as the PDP was embroiled in crises, two weeks ago, one would have thought that as the last flag bearer of the party, that he would stay engaged to find a solution. No.

“He rather travelled to Morocco to see his new wife. Of course he is entitled to his family life and privileges.”

The group said it was surprised that Mr Abubakar in his letter to the PDP National Working Committee claimed that he has been living in Dubai to improve on his education, to learn how to rule Nigeria.

It described PDP ACTION 2023, as a group desirous of assisting the PDP to play its appropriate role as the main opposition platform in Nigeria, and focused on helping to deliver good governance for Nigeria.

He expressed optimism that the party’s governors would address the PDP leadership crisis.

“The current crisis in PDP is a normal struggle in party politics.

“We believe PDP Governors and stakeholders will soon resolve the crisis and PDP will emerge stronger.

“For PDP to achieve this aim, it should present an acceptable candidate for President in 2023,” it advised. 

(NAN)