A former presidential aspirant, Prof Kingsley Moghalu, has expressed disappointment in presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Alhaji Atiku Abubakar’s comment that the north needs a northern president and not a Yoruba or Igbo president.
Moghalu made his position known in a Sunday statement published on his social media pages.
Atiku, who hails from Adamawa State, made the controversial comment during an Interactive Session With Arewa Joint Committee held on Saturday in Kaduna State.
The PDP candidate was responding to a question posed by spokesman of the Northern Elders Forum (NEF), Hakeem Baba-Ahmed when he made the comment.
Baba-Ahmed asked why the north should vote for Atiku.
In his response, the PDP candidate said, “I have traversed the whole of this country.
“I know the whole of this country. I have built bridges across this country. I think what the average northerner needs is somebody who is from the north, and who also understands the other parts of Nigeria and who has been able to build bridges across the rest of the country.
“This is what the northerner needs. He (northerner) doesn’t need a Yoruba candidate, or an Igbo candidate. This is what the northerner needs.
“I stand before you as a pan-Nigerian of northern origin.”
Reacting, Moghalu said the comment denigrated the largest ethnic groups in Southern Nigeria and should be withdrawn.
He said Atiku must also apologise to Nigerians for the comment.
“I was very disappointed to view the video clip of H.E. Atiku Abubakar, a former Vice-President of Nigeria, telling an audience in Kaduna that what the North needs is a northerner to be President, and not a Yoruba or Igbo candidate.
I have a lot of respect for Atiku who, despite his flaws (which all the other leading contenders also have).
“I have always regarded (him) as a truly cosmopolitan politician in our country.
“His reference to his “building bridges” across the country does not negate his clear message.
“That message was a direct appeal to divisive ethnic sentiment and a denigration of the largest ethnic groups in Southern Nigeria.
“I think he should withdraw the statement and apologise to Nigerians for it.
“All candidates in the 2023 presidential election must avoid ethnic or other divisive sentimental appeals. They must campaign on their records or their ideas, or both,” he said.