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From Ndubuisi Orji, Abuja and Rose Ejembi, Makurdi
Former vice president and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, yesterday, continued his consultations with other aspirants who contested with him at the last Saturday’s primary as he met with the Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike.
Abubakar visited Governor Wike in his Abuja residence.
The candidate had earlier visited Governor Aminu Tambuwal, in his private residence in Abuja, who withdrew for him at the party’s convention ground.
Disclosing this on his Tweeter handle, Atiku said the visitation was in continuation of his commitment to carry everyone along.
“In continuation of my commitment to bring everyone on board in ensuring that the PDP stands as one united party, earlier today, I visited Governor Wike at his Abuja residence. This is a continuous process,” he said.
Abubakar got 371 votes to beat his closest contender, Wike who polled 237, while the former Senate president, Bukola Saraki, came a distance third with 70 votes.
In his acceptance speech on Saturday, he pledged to work with his co-contestants and give them a sense of belonging.
Benue State Governor, Samuel Ortom, has urged all Nigerians to unite under the PDP umbrella to rescue the country.
He said with his experience and goodwill across all facets of the nation, his election as the standard bearer of the PDP is a clear indication that the party has begun the historic journey back to power in 2023.
“I’m confident that you will put forward your election to restore security in every nook and cranny of the country, revive our collapsed economy, and bring back Nigeria’s dignity where the sanctity of human lives of all Nigerian citizens will be respected. This will also make the social life of every Nigerian much more meaningful as you will rescue Nigeria from bottom to top.
Ortom, who described the presidential nomination exercise as credible and transparent, also commended other presidential aspirants, especially Governor Wike for exhibiting courage, patriotism and extraordinary spirit of sportsmanship throughout their campaigns across the country, leading to the national convention.
He, however, stressed the need for all patriotic members of the party to unite and ensure the success of the party in all forthcoming elections because the unity and supremacy of the party must be respected.
Meanwhile, Walid Jibrin, chairman, Board of Trustees (BoT), has advised Atiku to select an acceptable running mate.
In a congratulatory message he personally signed and made available to newsmen in Keffi council, Nasarawa, Jibrin lauded the emergence of Atiku as the PDP flag-bearer for the presidential election in 2023.
He described the victory as a good omen not only for the party, but for the entire country.
“We must remember that Atiku was earlier elected at PDP primary at Port Harcourt in 2019, but was nakedly sabotaged by All Progressives Congress through unholy way.
“We must remember the good performance of Atiku as vice president to former president Olusegun Obasanjo; our party must be fully congratulated for playing a good role and of course, all our delegates across the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory,” he said.
The PDP BoT chairman advised the party’s presidential flag-bearer to pick an acceptable and reliable running mate who would enhance the chances of his victory in the forthcoming election
He also congratulated David Mark, chairman of electoral committee and members of his committee for organising one of the best national conventions after the Port Harcourt convention chaired by Governor Okowa of Delta in 2019.
Jibrin, however, advised the members of the party to work together as a team to improve their electoral chances at the 2023 general election.
“My advice as the PDP BoT chairman is that the party must come together as one entity, fully together as one party, talking with one voice to make our party the greatest not only in Nigeria, West Africa, but the greatest in Africa irrespective of all differences,” he said.
The BoT chairman described Atiku as a committed patriot and detribalised Nigerian with a mission and vision on how to build a better Nigeria for the benefit of all and sundry.
He assured party members of the BoT’s readiness to offer necessary support and assistance to ensure the victory of the party at all levels.
…His emergence’ll influence APC’s choice –Fanwo
A chieftain of All Progressives Congress (APC) in Kogi State, Kingsley Fanwo, has expressed confidence in the emergence of Governor Yahaya Bello to become the presidential flag-bearer of the party.
He stated this in Lokoja while interacting with newsmen on the fall out of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presidential primary, insisting that the political permutations ahead of the 2023 presidential election are fast shaping up.
“APC has a good problem to solve,” he said, harping on the need for the party “to look at the numbers in the North and take the right political decisions in the best interest of the party. The emergence of Atiku Abubakar as the presidential candidate of the opposition PDP will definitely influence the decision of APC. One of our eyes is surely on the main opposition party.
“It will be politically suicidal for APC to allow Atiku the latitude of playing with the numbers in the North. The PDP national chairman is from the North and their presidential candidate is also from the North.
“Our party needs to look at all the candidates from the North too and see the most popular of them all. We need a candidate that will be accepted by the youths and women, who constitute the highest percentage of the Nigerian voting population.
“For me, the choice is clear. All of the aspirants are great Nigerians who possess the requisite qualifications to lead this nation. They have excelled in political and economic leadership. But one of them stands out. In a single day, millions of youths and women in 23 states simultaneously held rallies in support of Bello. It is a clear signal as to who the Nigerian people want to lead them from 2023.
The APC chieftain said Nigeria is at a ‘critical bend’ and “how the bend is negotiated will determine whether our vehicle will reach its destination.
“Bello has released his social contract with the Nigerian people and it has been reviewed as the best plan for our nation by various authorities. The roadmap to hope represents what our nation should be, what our people should get and what our leaders should do for Nigeria to act like a giant.
He called on the leadership of the party and delegates to make it a point of patriotism to make Bello the president from 2023.
