The Labour Party (LP) in the South East, yesterday, tackled the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, over his recent comment while flagging off his campaign at Awka, Anambra State.

Atiku was quoted as saying that he is a “stepping stone” to the president of the South East extraction.
Responding to Atiku, LP insisted that the comment is an “insult” to the people of the zone, stressing that there is no better way to describe the statement than “insensitive.”

National Vice Chairman of the party in the South East, Chief Innocent Okeke, said: “At a time the country is on the brink of division, occasioned by nepotism and dominance of a particular region in governance, and the yearning for unity, as well as equity is on the front burner, Atiku chose to insult Ndigbo right at their home front.
“Asking Ndigbo to vote for an extension of Northern-Fulani-Muslim-ticket, when the Igbo are yet to test the presidency since 1999, whereas the North has been in charge for 10 years, is a mockery.
“Atiku is employing the old and outdated political tricks on Ndigbo. It won’t work this time round. The people are awake and tired of playing second fiddle in a country they are a major stakeholder. Had Atiku any modicum of integrity while a Northern Buhari is about completing eight years in Aso Rock next year, he wouldn’t have contested for the president let alone ask for votes from the South and Ndigbo, particularly.
“If Atiku is not up to spite Ndigbo as he usually does; if he believes he is the stepping stone for Ndigbo to take their rightful place, why is he still in the presidential race?
“He claims to be a unifier, whereas he defiles equity, which is the most potent unifying factor in Nigeria.
“Atiku is among those who designed the rotation of power agreement in 1999, and has witnessed it go round. Now, that it is the undisputable right of Ndigbo, why does he want to change the goalpost in the middle of the match? This is unacceptable.”