BREAKING: ATIKU WINS PDP PRESIDENTIAL PRIMARY
A former Vice President of Nigeria, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar has emerged the standard bearer of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for the 2019 presidential election.
Atiku beat 11 other contestants to win the primary with 1,532 votes at the Party’s National Convention held in Portharcourt, Rivers State.
He was declared the winner by Chairman of the Convention Planning Committee and Delta State Governor, Senator Ifeanyi Okowa.
Sokoto State Governor and former Speaker, House of Representatives, Aminu Tambuwal came a distant second with 693 votes.
The President of the Senate, Dr. Bukola Saraki came third securing 317 while former Kano State Governor, Rabiu Musa Kwakwanso got 158 votes.
Other results are
Ibrahim Hassan Dankwambo 111 votes; Sule Lamido 96 votes; former Kaduna State Governor, Ahmed Makarfi got 74 votes and Kabiru Tanimu Turaki 65 votes.
Attahiru Dalhatu Bafarawa had 48 votes; Senator David Mark secured 38 votes; Jonah Jang had 19 votes; Hemmed Datti Baba-Ahmed
got 5 votes while 68 votes were void.
In his acceptance speech, Atiku described the primary as the most transparent presidential primary conducted by the party since it was founded in 1998.
He commended the delegates for the peaceful conduct of the exercise and pledged to carry his fellow contestants along.
Atiku also solicited their support to win the 2019 presidential election.
The PDP presidential candidate further thanked the Governor of River State, Mr. Nyesom Wike, for hosting the primary election in a most remarkable way.
Atiku said that the APC had performed badly and it was time PDP took over power from the ruling party, which he described as clueless.
He promised to retore hope and good governance to the Nigerian people.
Atiku warned against power intoxication and said it was time to improve on the feat so achieved at the convention.
He paid glowing tribute to former President Olusegun Obasanjo, under whose administration he rose to national political lime light.
The Presindent of the Senate, Saraki, on behalf of the other contestants pledged to suppport the presidential candidate achieve victory come 2019.
PDP National Chiarman, Uche Secundus, asked the Indepenent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to learn from the peaceful and transparent manner the party held its presidential primary to conduct 2019 general election.
The PDP National Convention began Saturday night and lasted through out the night untill in the afternoon when the results were announced.
CHUKWUBUIKE MADU