Atiku Abubakar, presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), has stated that northerners do not need a Yoruba or Igbo candidate.

Atiku stated this on Saturday during an interactive session with the Arewa Joint Committee, in response to a question from Dr Hakeem Ahmed Baba, spokesperson for the Northern Elders Forum (NEF), on why northerners should vote for him.

“What the average northerner needs is somebody who is from the North and someone who understands other parts of Nigeria and who will be able to build bridges across the rest of the country,” he said.

“It (the North) doesn’t need a Yoruba candidate, an Igbo candidate. So, I stand before you as a pan-Nigerian of Northern origin.”

READ ALSO: Atiku Deletes Tweet Condemning Deborah’s Murder — ‘Because of His Presidential Ambition’

Reactions have poured on social media following his pronouncement, with #AtikuTheDivider, and ‘Yoruba or Igbo” and “unifier” among top political trends on Twitter.

One user, @Topboychriss wrote, “Atiku is playing tribal card in the North then playing the “Unifier” card in the South. A con man is a con man!”

Another said, “Atiku said the North should not vote for a Yoruba or Igbo Candidate but a Pan Nigerian from northern Origin. Section 97(1) of the Electoral Act makes it criminal to campaign based on religion or tribe. Atiku Abubakar is a criminal, yeah?”

“The video is very clear. He said “the northerners need a person from the north, and not a Yoruba or Igbo candidate.” Atiku only thrives on ethnic politics. Zero substance. Zero credibility. Just obsolete packaging,” another user, @FS_Yusuf said.