Atiku Abubakar, presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), has come under fire from Nigerians for saying 90% of northerners are not on social media.
The former vice president of Nigeria made the statement during a pre-recorded interview on a television programme yesterday.
He stated that this development would limit the chances of the Labour Party (LP) and its Presidential candidate, Peter Obi, to win the 2023 presidential election.
“So, it is very difficult to expect a miracle to happen, simply because Peter Obi is in the Labour Party. After all, they were saying through social media that they had more than one million votes in Osun State. But how many votes did the Labour Party get in Osun? And then again, mark you, you’re talking about social media. In the North, 90 percent of our people are not tuned to social media”, he said.
However, Nigerians took to the micro-blogging platform, Twitter to express their various views regarding the statement made by the former vice presidential candidate.
Below are some reactions: “Northerners complain and fight stereotypes on this app everyday only for Atiku, in an attempt to denigrate the Labour Party and Obidients, boldly told the world on national TV that 90% of northerners don’t have access to the internet. This man wants people to remain poor for his political gains”.
Another wrote: “If 90% of northerners are not on social media and Atiku is bragging about it, that is Atiku indirectly calling the north underdeveloped, And also saying all the northern presidents have failed the north!!!”
Also someone wrote: “Atiku said 90% of northerners are not on social media. This means, even though the north has occupied various political positions, they did little for their people”.
Speaking on the chances of the Labour Party (LP) in the 2023 elections, the PDP presidential candidate said the LP will not divide the votes meant for the PDP as being suggested in some quarters.
