…Says ‘To Get Nigeria Working Again, We Must Defeat the APC’
Former Vice President (1999 to 2007), Alhaji Atiku Abubakar on Sunday was announced the winner of the contentious presidential primaries of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) held at Port Harcourt Stadium pulling 1,532 votes.
After announcing the results, all the aspirants congratulated him and assured the PDP and Nigerians of their readiness to support him and work towards winning of 2019 presidential election come February.
Besides, whereas former President Goodluck Jonathan at the Convention averred that the winner of the primaries will become Nigeria’s next president, analysts say Atiku Abubakar still has another hurdles to jump which is the convention of Coalition of United Political Parties (CUPP) made up of 40 parties including the PDP to pick a unified candidate that can oust incumbent President Muhammadu Buhari come 2019 presidential election.
In his acceptance speech, Atiku Abubakar paid tribute to his rivals and surprisingly, his former boss, Olusegun Obasanjo. He promised to work with to ensure victory for the party at the poll.
Observers say the mention of former President Obasanjo may strike a chord of effective realignment which he has repeatedly struggled for given the political importance of the sage.
There had been fears that the hard line opposition of former president may pull issues in-between against Atiku’s presidential mission if not resolved ahead of 2019 election especially now he has the mega ticket.
According to elated PDP ticket holder, “We shall all be partners”.
The former second-in-command of the Nigerian Customs Service is arguably the only Nigerian who has contested to be the Nigerian president for more than four times – the first time he did was on the platform of Social Democratic Party in 1993.
In 2006, he was elected as the standard bearer of the now-defunct Action Congress having defected to the party from the then ruling People’s Democratic Party. He lost that election.
He returned to the PDP in 2010 and contested, again, for the presidency, standing against Goodluck Jonathan in 2011. He lost the primaries to Jonathan, who went on to become Nigeria’s president.
Again, Abubakar, dumped the PDP in February 2014 for the All Progressives Congress, an amalgam of Congress for Progressive Change, a faction of the All Progressives Grand Alliance, All Nigerian People’s Party and Action Congress of Nigeria, which was formed out of Action Congress, on whose platform Abubakar contested the 2007 presidential elections.
He vied for APC’s presidential ticket against Muhammadu Buhari and Rochas Okorocha. He, like before, lost the election to Buhari, who eventually became Nigeria’s president in 2015.
Towards the tail end of 2017, Abubakar was clearly fed up with his new party. He subsequently defected to PDP, where he has now picked up the presidential ticket waiting for the last hurdle which is the CUPP consensus presidential candidate.
The full results are as follows:
1. Jonah Jang 19 votes
2. Dati Ahmed 5 votes
3. David Mark 35 votes
4. Tanimu Turaki 65 votes
5. Sule Lamido 96 votes
6. Attahiru Bafarawa 48 votes
7. Ibrahim Dankwambo 111 votes
8. Ahmed Makarfi 74 votes
9. Musa Kwankwanso 158 votes
10. Dr Bukola Saraki 317 votes
11. Waziri Tambulwal 693 votes
12. Atiku Abubakar wins with 1,532 votes
Business Hilights South-South Bureau chief reports that the election was free, fair and credible as all agents of the 12 delegates attested to the clarity of the elections after voting before the counting began.
Available details of states accredited delegates at the PDP National Convention are as follows:
1. Abia – 106
2. Adamawa – 76
3. Akwa Ibom – 153, only 151 voted (Akwa Ibom has the highest number of delegates)
4. Anambra – 54
5. Bauchi – 73
6. Bayelsa – 74
7. Benue – 121
8. Borno – 57
9. Cross Rivers – 95
10. Delta – 141
11. Edo – 79
12. Eboyin – 101
13. Enugu – 121
14. Ekiti – 109, only 107 voted
15. Gombe – 89
16. Kaduna – 103
17. Kano – 129, only 128 voted
18. Imo – 117, only 104 voted
19. Jigawa – 84
20. Katsina – 102, only 101 voted
21. Kebbi – 68, only 65 voted
22. Kogi – 94, only 93 voted
23. Kwara – 102
24. Lagos – 64
25. Nasarawa – 62
26. Niger – 83
27. Ondo – 64
28. Osun – 88
29. Ogun – 21
30. Oyo – 88, only 87 voted
31. Plateau – 76, only 74 voted
32. Rivers – 131
33. Sokoto – 95
34. Taraba – 93
35. Yobe – 59, only 58 voted
36. Zamfara – 48
37. FCT – 36, only 35 voted
*Total 3,274
Hereunder is the Speech by Atiku Abubakar, GCON, former Vice President, Federal Republic of Nigeria, at the Opening Ceremony of the National Convention of the PDP, at the Adokiye Amasiemeka Stadium, Port Harcourt, Rivers State, Saturday, October 6, 2018.
To Get Nigeria Working Again, We Must Defeat the APC
My Dear Delegates,
On this day, you have a most important decision in your hands. You must decide who will represent the PDP as our candidate for the President of Nigeria.
This election is one of the most important in the history of our Republic. Four years ago, the people of Nigeria voted for Change, today they are not happy with the change they received.
The economy has slowed bringing hardship across Nigeria, increasing hunger and poverty, farmers struggle, businesses close, and jobs are lost. All the while, our government has become less transparent and deaf to the voices of Nigerians.
It is time we get Nigeria working again. We need jobs, wealth creation for farmers and across the agriculture sector, along with security for every Nigerian so they may prosper.
This is why I ask for your support in seeking the PDP ticket. You are aware of my government service and just as importantly my long work in business helping develop the economy, creating jobs in agriculture, healthcare, and education.
Upon election, I will work with you the delegates of the PDP and every Nigerian in each state to restructure and build the local infrastructures needed to grow the economy, create jobs and bring wealth to every Nigerian.
With your support, together, we can truly get Nigeria working again.
God bless the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
God bless the PDP.
Atiku Abubakar, GCON
Waziri Adamawa
Vice President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999-2007.
