The organizing secretary of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Adamawa State, Mustapha Atiku Ribadu has urged his immediate past predecessor, Ahmed Lawal to withdraw a provocative statement he made where he cursed anyone who refused to vote former vice president Atiku Abubakar in the forthcoming general election.
In a video seen by our reporter, Lawal was heard in Hausa invoking the wrath of Allah on anyone who refused to vote Atiku Abubakar in the forthcoming presidential polls at the grand finale of Atiku’s presidential campaign in Yola on Saturday.
“May Allah curse anyone from Adamawa who refused to vote for former vice president Atiku Abubakar in the forthcoming presidential election,” Ahmed Lawal said.
The former organizing secretary, recently defected to the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) from APC over irreconcilable differences. He contested for the chairmanship position of the party in the last party Congress but lost to Ibrahim Bilal.
Ribadu in a statement he made available to this paper noted that as a friend, he deemed it fit to advise Lawal to recant the statement because of its adverse and negative implications on future relationships adding that in a participatory democracy, people have the right to vote candidates of their choice without being harassed or intimidated.
“Lawal has friends, relatives and well wishers who will definitely not vote Atiku in the presidential election, then what happens to the relationship. He should know that there is life after election and friendship will continue even after elections are won and lost.
“What will happen between him and respected elders like former governor Murtala Nyako who is working assiduously to ensure the victory of Tinubu? I know how close Lawal is to Abdulrazak Namdas, and Namdas is working round the clock to ensure the emergence of Tinubu. Then what happens to the friendship between him and Namdas?” Mustapha queried.
But while eulogizing the attributes of the former APC organizing secretary, Ribadu said APC has lost a great mind, untiring mobilizer and a workaholic.
He said Lawal’s contributions to the development of APC in Adamawa remain indelible adding that it is unfortunate that the party lost someone like him at this time when his contributions are seriously needed.
