By Starrys Obazei | January 27, 2023
starrys@ddnewsonline.com
The race for the 2023 general elections is gathering momentum. In this interview with our Abuja Correspondent, Paschal Madu, Hon. Mrs. Margret E. Odey, a member PDP National Campaign Council and Coordinator of Green Group for Atiku/Okowa, a support group for the Atiku/Okowa presidential bid.
Excerpts:
How do you rate the chances of Atiku Abubakar in the next month’s presidential election?
We see it fit, very fit that Atiku Abubakar’s candidature is to redeem Nigeria; to brighten Nigeria; it is to clear all the mess that has been done by the APC government. Atiku will rebrand Nigeria. Atiku will give us hope. Atiku will change the narrative positively.
He is a man who has the experience and exposure to fix Nigeria. He is an ex-Customs officer and later moved to the political line. So, he is more qualified because he has all the ideas to govern and with that, we decided to follow in his footsteps. This is because we see that he can change things positively for the benefit of the unborn child.
What’s his support base like in the South?
The support base is very strong, irrespective of the crisis they are talking about. The members of the G5 are all members of the PDP, you cannot rule and say Atiku will not win in the South.
If Atiku will win Akwa Ibom where we have the campaign DG, Cross River where we have candidates, in Bayelsa PDP is there, even in Rivers state, PDP is there. So, we have governorship candidates. We have Senatorial candidates, House of Representatives candidates, and State House candidates. So, how will they vote because the day they are voting for the presidency, they are voting for the House of Representatives, they are voting for the Senate?
If you now say you are not voting for the presidency, then you are losing. The grassroots man does not know how to say who is the president, or who is the Senator. So, Atiku is winning all nooks and crannies in the election.
What are your views on Atiku’s manifesto for women?
His manifesto favors women 100 percent. Even when you look at his recent appointments, women are in charge. He appointed women to every corner. So, looking at the scenarios, though he has not gotten to the seat, you will know that definitely, the chances of women are high under an Atiku’s presidency.
Can you give us details of your support group?
The name of our support group is Green Group for Atiku/Okowa. Our slogan is Green Group, the winning team, paradise regained. Why is it so, it is paradise lost, paradise regained! We have to regain our paradise. We have to regain Nigeria. We have to regain everything. Everything that has been lost will be regained by the Atiku/Okowa presidency.
What is your group doing to mobilize support for Atiku/Okowa at the grassroots level?
Educating them on how to vote is one. Educating them on the need to collect their PVCs is two. Educating them on the need to put their fingers on PDP is three. We are educating them to know that Atiku is the best candidate and they must support him. In fact, we don’t have any presidential candidate except Atiku Abubakar.
It seems the greatest hurdles Atiku has are Wike and his colleagues. What’s your reaction?
In life, there is no one that does not face challenges. And when you talk about the political arena, you must face challenges. I contested several elections in the past. So, when you are contesting elections, you don’t think you will have it 100 percent. You don’t think that everybody must support you. You must be focused on what you want to achieve. I look at it that it is not a hurdle because we are in the same party. In life, people must have grievances and anyone who has grievances is free to air them. There’s nothing wrong with it. But that doesn’t mean he is not supporting Atiku. He is supporting him.
Your presidential candidate (Atiku Abubakar) has promised to privatize public enterprises. Judging by the past privatization exercise, do you think that it will be the right step in the right direction?
Well, you see, policy-making is different from policy implementation. Until we get to the Villa, we will know the reality on the ground.
But now, our focus is on how to win the election. We are not talking about anything now except how to win elections, especially in my position, in my thinking, in everything, even in my dreams, is how Atiku will win the election. When we get to the river, we will cross it.