PRESS CONFERENCE BY COALITION OF ATIKU SUPPORT GROUPS
HELD ON MONDAY 12TH NOVEMBER, 2018 IN ABUJA, NIGERIA.

Gentlemen of the press, it is pertinent to make certain points clear at this juncture to correct the APC sponsored fellow and his cohorts that issued misleading statements in an attempt to paint the hard working H. E Otunba Gbenga Daniel led Atiku Presidential Campaign Organisation (APCO) black and to hoodwink those who don’t have adequate information about the relationship between APCO and Atiku Support Groups.

Ordinarily we wouldn’t have responded to the ranting of the propagandist that is only acting scripts drafted by the opponents who are his paymasters; but for the sake of those who may be deceived by him, we have decided to clarify the following:

1. In politics, support groups are formed by people who come together on their own accord to support a candidate willingly. Synonyms for “willingly” include voluntarily, of your own accord, of your own free will etc. Hence, members of such groups formed "voluntarily" are best referred to as "volunteers". However, such reference does not in any way demean the people or the group. Therefore, members of voluntarily created support groups that frown at been referred to as volunteers are either deliberately creating problem where there is none or have problem with comprehending simple word in English language.

2. It will be foolhardy for any genuine support group to allege been used and dumped by His Excellency Atiku Abubakar when even the main campaign has not started as INEC has not even lifted ban on campaign. A rational thinking person can only allege to have been used and dumped if he/she was assigned specific tasks during the campaign and the assigned tasks were well carried out, and till the entire campaign ended he/she is not compensated in any way for the jobs “well done”.

3. We want to categorically and fundamentally assert at this point that the real supporters of Atiku are those who, out of love for him and passion to liberate this country from the shackles of bad governance, voluntarily set up support groups to contribute their quota towards his victory in the February presidential election; and not those who erroneously assume that setting up an Atiku support group is another get-rich-quick scheme.

4. Before the PDP presidential primary, Atiku always inform leaders of support groups that he would not be able to sponsor support groups before the primary, because the full attention then was on how to get delegates elect him as PDP flag-bearer. However, he also always adds that there are plans for support groups. His Excellency Otunba Gbenga Daniel also always makes it clear that there are plans for support groups when the main general campaign kicks off fully.

5. To show that Atiku and APCO mean business, a director and a deputy director were appointed to oversee the affairs of support groups by registering them, maintaining a database for them, ensuring they are well coordinated and work towards how to carry them along in the main campaign. Many groups have been registered and more are still registering. And as each group is registered the details are included in the database. And even the hard copy of information about groups registered before the primary is available in APCO office for group leaders that want to check.

6. Are support groups now to go ahead of APCO despite the clear plan and the structure in place? Both the master-minder and the sponsors of the propaganda against APCO have failed woefully in their attempt to blackmail Atiku and APCO. Because this is God’s time for Atiku. And Atiku’s campaign is the movement of the people, by the people and for the people.

7. On this note we want reaffirm that Atiku support groups are UNITED, INTACT AND EVER PASSIONATE in the pursuit of our one-point agenda, and that is to ensure landslide victory for the Atiku/Obi ticket by February 2019. As you can all see, with us here are leaders of so many Atiku support groups, who due to their unalloyed support for Atiku have travelled from different parts of the country just to be part of this press briefing as a way of expressing their solidarity for Atiku and the Otunba Gbenga Daniel led APCO.

Nigerians should expect more funny and dirty games from the desperate APC. But we assert again, that they will continue to fail.

Conclusively, we call on all those who truly desire the good of our beloved country to continue to support Atiku with the best of their ability, because we all need to contribute our quota in the journey to liberate our beloved country. And as we are all not ignorant of the devices of APC, let's not fall prey of their machinations at any point, because they will still come up with other schemes as this has failed.

Special thanks to Senator Felix Kola Ogunwale (Jumokol) for his support. And thanks to all the leaders of various Atiku Support Groups who traveled from different parts Nigeria to express their selfless solidarity.

Thank you all and God bless you all.

SIGNED:
1. Rev. Emmanuel Olorunmagba, National Leader, Coalition of Atiku Support Groups. (And National Co-Ordinator, Project Atiku 2019)


2. Hon. Adaka Richard (National Coordinator, PDP GRASSROOTS SUPPORT FOUNDATION)

3. Engr Ango Jonathan (Campaign for Atiku Abubakar Presidency 2019 (CFAP))

4. Madam Nnene Ibe Onuma
(Founder, Oroni Foundation for Atiku 2019)

5. Barr Anthony Ogunor (1Myouths4Atiku)

6. Comrade Ige A. Clement (Project Atiku 2019)

7. Desmond Ogudu (Coordinator, Team Dynasty)

8. Ovienlonba Sunny Amos (FACT Coordinator, Project Atiku 2019)

9. Ezugwu Samuel Ngwu (National Co-Ordinator Atikulated Movement)

10. Comr. Gerald Udochukwu Nwoke. (National Co-Ordinator, PDP Articulated Nigerian Youth Movement)

11. Gideon Yakubu (Project Atiku 2019)

12. Hon Talatu Salka (National Co-Ordinator, Nigerians Asking for Atiku (NAFA))

13. Madam Mercy Aboh Shaba O (Director General, Presidential Advocacy Movement for Atiku 2019 ( PAMA ))

14. Comr Okoye Raphael Nkemjika (Financial Secretary, Atiku Independent Volunteer Movement)

15. Rev Dr Solomon Osejiele (Project Atiku 2019)

16. Pastor Innocent Hilson Iyke (FCT Coordinator, The Rescuers)

17. Oriri Peter (Project Atiku 2019)

18. Queen Sonia Okochichi, (National Coordinator, PDP Atikus Ushers)

19. John Okwori (Project Atiku 2019)

20. Hon. Usman Kwatu. (Director General, Atiku Liberation Network)

21. Nathaniel Onuoha. (Director Media & Publicity, Atiku Liberation Network)

22. Mrs Ebele Obi (National Woman Leader
Atiku Grassroots Ambassadors)

These must be a section of the ghost 100000 Atiku workforce bearing imaginary names under threat of redundancy. All what his political jamboree in Dubai could produce