2019: South West Is Satisfied With Atiku’s SGF Promise –Ogunlewe
A chieftain of the People’ s Democratic Party , Chief Adeseye Ogunlewe, on Monday , commended the party ’ s presidential candidate , Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, for promising to give the South West, the Secretary to Government of the Federation slot , if elected .
Ogunlewe, a former Minister of Works, gave the commendation in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria in Lagos .
NAN reports that the Director – General of the Atiku Campaign Organisation , Chief Gbenga Daniel , had revealed Atiku ’ s SGF plan to newsmen on Sunday in Lagos .
Ogunlewe said PDP leaders in the South West were satisfied with the promised slot , as the SGF is the fulcrum of government.
“We thank our presidential candidate for the promised SGF slot . We are very satisfied with it and we are happy about it .
“You see , the office of the SGF is not just another office . It is the fulcrum of any government; it is the engine room . So , for our candidate to have promised the region the office , it means he holds us in high esteem.
“The promise is a just and fair move, we are impressed and we are pledging our total support to Atiku Abubakar to emerge as our president next year , ” he said.
Ogunlewe said the selection of Obi as Atiku ’ s running mate was fair and strategic, as it would guarantee an Igbo presidency after Atiku , if PDP wins .
The former minister argued that the people of the South East had contributed significantly to the development of the country , saying it was only fair they be allowed to produce a president soon .
The South- West is at present not yet visible in PDP ’ s power equation for 2019 as the presidential candidate is from the North East , while his running mate, a former Anambra State governor , Mr Peter Obi, is from the South East.
Also , the National Chairman of the party , Chief Uche Secondus, is from the South -South.
Among present top government officials , who are members of the party , the Senate President, Dr Bukola Saraki , and Speaker of the House of Representatives , Mr Yakubu Dogara, are from North Central and North East respectively .
( NAN )
