Former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar on Saturday night picked the Presidential ticket of the Peoples Democratic Party(PDP) for the 2023 general elections.
Atiku defeated his closest challenger, Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State.
He scored 371 votes while Wike polled 237 votes and former President of the Senate, Bukola Saraki, garned 70 votes.
Also, former President of the Senate, Bukola Saraki, garned 70 votes, Governor Udom Emmanuel of Akwa Ibom State got 38 votes; Bauchi State Governor, Bala Mohammed, scored 20 votes; former Senate President, Pius Anyim, got 14 votes and former President of the Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria, Sam Ohuabunwa, polled only one vote.
In his acceptance speech after he was pronounced as the PDP candidate by the Chairman of the Convention Planning Committee, Senator David Mark, Atiku extended a hand of fellowship to the defeated aspirants and pledged to work with them to ensure victory for the party.
He described the primary as one of the freest elections to be conducted by the party, saying, “Today marks another milestone in the process to consolidate our democratic gains.”
Atiku said if elected President, he would unify the country, deal with insecurity and revamp the economy.
He accused the All Progressives Congress government of polarising the country, stating, “I pledge to unify the country that is why I refer to myself as a unifier. Unity is very important because the government of the APC has disunited Nigerians completely.”
