40-year-old female presidential aspirant for the 2019 elections, Dr. Eunice Atuejide has withdrawn from the race. Atuejide who is the founder and national chairman of the National Interest Party withdrew from the race yesterday siting a number of reasons.
Contesting elections in Nigeria is not for the faint-hearted, a scene dominated by a sea of men, many of whom have mastered the art of politicking and exchange of moneybags.
Atuejide and former Minister of Education and human rights activist, Dr. Oby Ezekwesili were the two women of a long list of aspirants for the seat of president until last month when the latter stepped aside siting a number of reasons.
If we hoped for a female representation at the helm of affairs , that is not to be, at least not in the coming dispensation as Atuejide, the only standing female aspirant after Dr. Oby has now withdrawn also.
Read full statement on her withdrawal from the race below:
“I pursued my bid for the Presidency like my life depended on becoming the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria in 2019 and I have no regrets whatsoever.
Indeed, no institution in the entire world could teach me the things I learned racing for the Presidency in Nigeria in 2018/2019, particularly as I started out being an overly idealistic young woman determined to save her country from demise overnight. The experience so far is a compulsory element in my political development and exposure to the electioneering processes in Nigeria, so I am grateful.
My race for the Presidency was programmed to end on 16th February 2019, and it ended on that day. Therefore, the Presidential Election proposed to hold on 23rd February 2019 due to the last minute postponement on the part of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) does not involve me.
In fact, that race is only between the incumbent President Muhammadu Buhari and Alhaji Atiku Abubakar. Therefore, every well meaning Nigerian particularly those whose party logos are on the ballot sheets should pick a side. Whatever we do on Saturday 23rd February, we will be voting either Atiku or Buhari i.e. either PDP or APC for the 2019 Presidency.
So my people, having committed to always put Nigeria first, having gotten to know most of the candidates vying for the Presidency in 2019 one on one, having investigated most of them independently, and having seriously considered the inherent dangers in allowing the incompetence of President Buhari to continue, I choose to fight for the benefit of every Nigerian on the side of Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, the candidate of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP).”
