Atiku: I will not quit my political struggle

Atiku Abubakar, the PDP’s presidential flagbearer in the previous election, has declared that he is not backing down from his political ambitions. He said at a media briefing in Abuja on Monday that he would not quit his struggle for a better Nigeria, along with other compatriots who want to see more democracy, rule of law, and structural reforms in the country.

He said, “I am here to stay. I will not stop fighting for the future of this country as long as I live. I believe Nigeria needs a new generation of leaders who have more at stake than my generation.”

The ex-Vice President also stressed the need for electoral reforms to ensure credible and transparent elections that reflect the people’s choices. He said, “We must adopt electronic voting and the collation of results as a matter of urgency. This is the 21st century, and we cannot lag behind other countries that are less advanced than Nigeria. It is only bold initiatives that transform societies.

“We must also ensure that all election disputes are resolved before the swearing-in of the winners. The current time frame between elections and inaugurations is too short to deal with election litigation.”

Advocates for a six-year single term for the presidency

He also proposed a six-year single term for presidents to reduce their desperation and distraction from governance and to promote fairness and national unity. He said, “We need to move to a single six-year term for the president to be rotated among the six geopolitical zones. This will curb the incumbents’ abuse of power and resources and also give every zone a sense of belonging.”