By Dipo Olowookere
Former Vice President, Mr Atiku Abubakar, has emerged as the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for the 2023 presidential election.
He won the PDP presidential primary at the special national convention of the opposition party held on Saturday at the MKO Abiola Stadium, Abuja.
The flagbearer of the party in the 2019 presidential election polled 371 votes to beat his closest rival, Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State, who garnered 237 votes, to clinch the ticket.
Shortly before the voting started on Saturday night, one of the aspirants and Governor of Sokoto State, Mr Aminu Tambuwal, stepped down for Mr Atiku. This may have boosted the votes of the eventual winner of the exercise.
In his acceptance speech, the former VP promised to work together with the other contestants and unite the party so as to wrestle power from the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
He said if elected as President of Nigeria next year, his administration will tackle the security issues in the country and then work tirelessly to revamp the economy, which will lead to the creation of jobs for the youths.
He called on members of the party, especially those who left because of the way they were treated, to return and work with him to save the nation.
“Today, the battle to rebuild and unite our great country moves forward. I’m honoured to be named the PDP candidate. I look forward to speaking with Nigerians across the country, taking the message of hope and unity as we build one future for one people,” the PDP presidential candidate said after he was announced the winner of the primary.
Mr Atiku first attempted to become the president of the country in 1992. In 1999, he was sworn in as VP and served with former President Olusegun Obasanjo, who governed the country between 1999 and 2007.
