The British High Commissioner to Nigeria, Catriona Laing, yesterday, expressed interest about how the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, planned to address the country’s seemingly overwhelming security, economic, and development challenges if elected into office next year.
The feeling of enthusiasm came as Atiku sought increased collaboration between the governments of Nigeria and the United Kingdom in the search for solution to issues that affect both countries.
In another development, the embittered camp of the opposition PDP led by Rivers State Governor Nyesom Wike, allegedly, gave conditions for peace, which included being considered equal stakeholders in the party.
Wike was poised to win the PDP presidential ticket during the primaries in May in Abuja, until a last-minute withdrawal from the race by his erstwhile close ally, Sokoto State Governor and former Speaker of the House of Representatives, Aminu Tambuwal, turned the table in Atiku’s favour. Tambuwal’s decision to step down, which Wike viewed as premeditated betrayal, triggered a chain of resentment and division that PDP is still trying to resolve.
The PDP Board of Trustees (BoT) scheduled a meeting for Wednesday, after setting up a committee to discuss how to resolve the post-presidential nomination disagreements in the party.
Laing, after a meeting with Atiku at his residence in Abuja, the nation’s capital, took to her Twitter account and wrote, “Good to meet the PDP presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar @atiku today.
“Interesting to hear his ideas on the economic, security and development priorities for #Nigeria ahead of #2023elections.”
The high commissioner stated that the meeting with the former vice president was part of an ongoing engagement by the UK government to enhance democracy and ensure credible elections in Nigeria next year.
…Atiku, in a statement, said the meeting with Laing discussed a wide range of issues bordering on security, education, agriculture, economy, and Nigerian unity. He thanked the UK delegation for the meeting, stating, “The bilateral ties between Nigeria and the United Kingdom have a rich history and it was important for both countries to leverage that to promote issues that are of mutual concern.”
