Segun Akanni, Toronto, Canada 
Senate President Bukola Saraki yesterday expressed confidence that with the multiple endorsement of his party’s presidential candidate, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, by a coalition of Pan-Nigerian political and socio-cultural groups, victory in the impending February 16 election is on the horizon.
Saraki also referred to the results of scientific polls by a couple of credible polling agencies and institutions, including the London Economist Intelligence Unit and the William and Associates team, saying it has become obvious that Atiku is coasting home to victory.
The Senate president spoke while reacting to the joint endorsement of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presidential candidate by the Northern Elders Forum (NEF), Pan-Niger Delta Elders Forum (PANDEF), Afenifere, Middle Belt Forum (MBF) and Ohanaeze Ndigbo, and said it was an incontrovertible validation of the results of the scientific polls tipping Atiku to win.
Saraki, who is also the Director-General of the PDP Presidential Campaign Council, in a statement in Ilorin, Kwara State, stated that Atiku’s victory is now unstoppable.
He added that with the latest developments, Nigerians have taken a position that the President Muhammadu Buhari’s claim of integrity and anti-corruption stance is nothing but an election gimmick.
He further stated that the three major pillars of Buhari’s 2015 electioneering, including economy, security, and anti corruption, which the president is still touting, have collapsed in the face of the realities on the ground.
He said the president had mismanaged the economy, worsened insecurity across the nation and encouraged and nurtured corruption from within his government.
Saying Atiku would win the election in a free and fair contest based on the scientific forecasts by the two groups, Saraki urged Nigerians to take a cue from the gale of endorsements and predictions by credible groups in favour of Atiku and vote wisely.
He said: “The endorsements are like tonic to the works of the campaign organisations to intensify our efforts as it is a testament that we are employing the right approach and techniques to market our candidates to Nigerians.
“We have been able to change the narratives. We have debunked a lot of lies and rumours being peddled around against our candidate and Nigerians are much more informed now.
“The ruling party knows that they could no longer deceive Nigerians because we have allowed the people know that they are all pretenders with their claims of credibility and anti-corruption posture.”
The Senate president said the fact that Nigerians expressed favourable opinions while the credible agencies were conducting their research showed that the PDP candidate would defeat the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate next week Saturday.
Leading socio-political organisations in the country, including NEF, PANDEF, Afenifere, MBF and Ohanaeze had on Sunday endorsed Atiku.
The leaders, who spoke on behalf of their groups were, Prof. Ango Abdullahi, Chief Edwin Clark, Chief Ayo Adebanjo, Chief John Nwodo and Dr. Bitrus Pogu. They urged Nigerians to vote for Atiku because he would bring the change desired by the country.
Before the endorsements, a field work conducted by the Pollster, Williams and Associates, revealed that Atiku will defeat Buhari in the February 16 presidential election.
The agency had, in a similar fieldwork in 2015, predicted the defeat of President Goodluck Jonathan in the presidential election, using same methodology it employed now.
Similarly, a forecast by the Economist Intelligence Unit in Africa had revealed that Buhari would be defeated by Atiku, when they clash at the presidential poll next week.
