May 28, (THEWILL) – Former Vice President, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar has emerged the Presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for the 2023 general elections.
Atiku clinched the much coveted ticket during the presidential primary of the main opposition party held on Saturday in Abuja, the nation’s capital.
Declaring the results, Chairman of the Electoral Committee and Returning Officer of the election, David Mark, announced Atiku as the winner of the primary election, which held at MKO Abiola Stadium in Abuja on Saturday.
Atiku polled 371 votes to beat 11 other aspirants to win the presidential ticket.
While Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike came second with 237 votes, former Senate President, Bukola Saraki got 70 votes to come third, and Akwa Ibom state govenor, Udom Emmanuel, came fourth with 38 votes.
Bauchi State Governor Bala Mohammed, and former Secretary to Government of the Federation (SGF), Anyim Pius Anyim polled 20 and 14 votes, respectively.
Tareila Diana and former president, Manufacturing Association of Nigeria (MAN), Sam Ohuabunwa received one vote each.
Former Ekiti State Governor Ayodele Fayose, publisher of Ovation Magazine Dele Momodu, Charles Ugwu and Chikwendu Kalu scored zero vote, while 12 votes were voided.
Accepting the results of the Presidential primary election, Atiku commended the electoral process employed in the exercise.
“Today we are making another history. A history which we believe will bring about fundamental changes and also in our political processes”, he said.
He reiterated that his campaign will be built on five fundamentals, including a pledge to unify the country.
“I pledge to unify this country,” he said. “That’s why I refer to myself as a unifier. The reason why I feel that unity is important is because APC has disunited Nigerians completely. I will work to restore unity and bring a sense of belonging to all Nigerians”, he added.
Atiku vowed to decisively deal with the country’s security challenges and confront its economic problems.
“The PDP made Nigeria one of the most prosperous countries in Africa. We implemented economic reforms. The APC wiped out all those gains”, the PDP Presidential candidate said.
He called on his fellow contestants to work and cooperate with him.
This is the second time Atiku, who is seeking to be president for the sixth time, would be nominated as the presidential standard bearer of the PDP.
The former vice president, who first sought the Presidency in 1993 on the platform of the defunct Social Democratic Party (SDP), was the opposition party candidate in the 2019 general elections.
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