May 29, (THEWILL) – Former governor of Lagos state and presidential aspirant of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Bola Tinubu, has congratulated former Vice President Atiku Abubakar on his victory at the presidential primary of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
Tinubu in his congratulatory message on Sunday, however, said the emergence of Atiku, as PDP presidential flag bearer come 2023 general election will be a worthy opponent.
“I welcome the victory of Alhaji Atiku Abubakar as the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party in the just concluded primary. I look forward to squaring up with him as a worthy opponent in the coming election”, he said.
While congratulating Atiku, Tinubu said the former vice president’s victory did not come as a surprise to Nigerians because of his vast experience as a statesman and veteran of many presidential contests from 1993.
He stated that the coming election should be about issues that would improve the quality of life of Nigerians, as well as bring peace, progress, political stability, and solve myriad of socio-political challenges and insecurity facing the country.
His words: “As we move further into the election season, I charge the PDP presidential candidate and all political actors across party lines that we should make this election season one that is devoid of bitterness, rancour, and strife,” the former Lagos State governor advised.
“We should make our campaigns peaceful and issue-based. Election season should be a festival of ideas that will uplift our country and improve the living condition of all our people. Unfortunately for the PDP, its candidate will be burdened to explain why Nigerians should give it another opportunity, after squandering 16 years at the central government, without much to show.
“Nigerians are yet to forget the national ruin and mismanagement of our country for 16 years by successive PDP administration and this bad memory will dog the campaign of the PDP Candidate. Nevertheless, I once again congratulate our former Vice President for his victory in his party’s primary.”
Also, Edo State governor, Godwin Obaseki, has congratulated Atiku on his emergence as the Presidential candidate of the PDP.
Governor Obaseki, who conveyed his felicitations in a statement said, the keenly contested process of picking a Presidential flag bearer for the PDP, has again presented the party as the political platform which has enthroned transparent internal democratic processes that Nigeria desperately needed for its much-desired rebirth.
The Governor commended other aspirants who submitted themselves to the transparent exercise which has set the PDP as a worthy example to all other political parties in the country.
He acknowledged that the party has again shown its maturity, strength and poise, noting that it is time for all aspirants and other key players to pull together as the PDP embarked on the all-important mission to rescue Nigeria.
Meanwhile, Governor Nyesom Wike, the first runner up in the presidential primary of the party, has kept the PDP in doubt over the outcome of the primary election.
Hours after the conclusion of the contest, Wike has yet to congratulate Atiku.
He was conspicuously absent on the podium, while Atiku made his acceptance speech, where he pleaded for the cooperation of all his co-contestants.
Other presidential aspirants including Bukola Saraki and Aminu Tambuwal, were on the podium with him, to show solidarity.
But Wike had melted away into the night from the Moshood Abiola Stadium, venue of the primary election, in Abuja.
Atiku, who was the PDP’s presidential candidate in the 2019 presidential election won the party’s ticket again on Saturday, polling 371 votes.
The game changer was the defection of another contestant, Aminu Tambuwal to Atiku’s camp, the move which Atiku commended on Facebook.
Atiku contested the election with Wike, former Senate President, Bukola Saraki, Governor Aminu Tambuwal of Sokoto State and 10 other aspirants.
Wike’s silence and aloofness contradicted the pledge he gave while addressing the delegates earlier Saturday.
The Rivers State governor had said he would support any aspirant that emerged as the winner of the election because he is a committed PDP member who loves the party.
“Let me vow, today, anybody who emerges here, I will support the person to the fullest because I am a committed party person, because I love this party, because, since 1998, I have been in this party and worked for this party, I am not going anywhere, This is my party”, Wike had said.
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