A chieftain of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), 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 (SGF) slot, if elected.
Ogunlewe, a former Minister of Works, gave the commendation in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria in Lagos.
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.
