The leader of the APC Integrity Group, Dr. Chinedu Jideofo-Ogbuagu has queried the rationale behind the ongoing campaign by the founder of the African Independent Television (AIT), High Chief Raymond Dokpesi, for the emergence of Alhaji Atiku Abubakar to emerge the preferred candidate of his party ahead of the 2023 Presidential election in Nigeria.
Dr Jideofo-Ogbuagu, who is the National Coordinator of the South-East APC Presidency Project 2023, also expressed worries over Atiku Abubakar’s fresh legal battle to be declared President by the Court after he lost to President Muhammadu Buhari of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in 2019.
In his reaction, Dr. Jideofo-Ogbuagu said, “I have been seeing my friend and a member of this group, High Chief Engr Dr Raymond Aleogho Dokpesi, on television (his AIT, precisely), as he shuttles from state to state in what amounts to His Excellency Atiku Abubakar’s 2023 presidential campaign.
“Although I wish both Dokpesi and Atiku well in their attempt to achieve handover of presidential power from a Northerner to another Northerner on 29th May 2023, I today find myself asking if Dokpesi and his campaign team are not jumping the gun or putting the cart before the horse.
“I may be wrong, but I am not aware that Atiku has declared for 2023 Presidency. Of course, I have seen body language, but body language does not amount to declaration”, he said.
Speaking on Atiku Abubakar’s legal battle, Dr. Jideofo-Ogbuagu said, “I have heard that Atiku is in court, seeking for judicial declaration that he (and not President Muhammadu Buhari) won the 2019 presidential election and should be sworn in even without Atiku participating in the 2023 electoral contest.
“That his prayer means that he considers Buhari’s almost 8 years of presidential powers as unconstitutional, null and void, that all actions of Buhari since 2015 should be dismissed as 419 scam.
“And, I again ask myself, does Atiku truly believe in his application to court or he only wants to use it to cause confusion and imperil Nigeria’s democracy? If he truly believes in that his court case, why is Dokpesi leading some persons on an Atiku 2023 presidential campaign instead of Atiku pursuing his case in court?”, he queried.
The South East born All Progressives Congress (APC) chieftain then noted that this “brings us back to the question, “Has Atiku declared for 2023 Presidency or is Dokpesi on his own?”
“From the angles of PDP and INEC electoral timetables and schedules, I could ask other questions, but I reserve those ones for now…and will just continue to watch Dokpesi & Co on AIT and wherever else they pop up”, he said.
