Atiku becomes PDP’s 2023 Presidential flagbearer

Nigeria’s Ex-Vice President Atiku Abubakar has been elected and declared as the Peoples Democratic Party’s flagbearer for the 2023 presidential election, Top Naija reports.

This marks the 75-year-old’s sixth attempt for the nation’s top job, as he was also the PDP’s candidate in the last election in 2019, which he lost to President Muhammadu Buhari.

To win the PDP’s 2023 ticket, Atiku had to beat the likes of Rivers State Governor Nyesom Wike, Akwa Ibom Governor, Udom Emmanuel and former Senate President, Bukola Saraki.

Before voting commenced on Friday at the primary election in Abuja, Sokoto State Governor Aminu Tambuwal stepped down for Atiku, a move that strengthened the Adamawa politician’s bid for the ticket.

Mr Atiku scored 371 votes. His closest challenger, Wike, polled 237 votes. Saraki pulled 70 votes.

Emmanuel (38), Mohammed (38), Anyim Pius Anyim (14), Mrs Tari Diana Oliver (1) and Sam Ohuabunwa (1) shared the remainder of the valid votes.

‘Sense of Belonging’
In his victory speech, Atiku commended the electoral process employed in the primary.

“Today we are making another history,” he said. “A history which we believe will bring about fundamental changes and also in our political processes.”

He reiterated that his campaign will be built on five fundamentals, including a pledge to unify the country.

Below is a breakdown of how delegates voted in the PDP Presidential primaries last night.

Former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar, had the highest votes and clinched the party’s 2023 presidential ticket.

There were speculations that the PDP may postpone its National Convention after the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) extended the deadline for political parties to conduct their primaries for the 2023 general elections by six days.

The extension had prompted the ruling All Progressives Congress to postpone its own primaries, earlier scheduled for Sunday, to June 6.

But the PDP quickly denied that it had any plans of shifting its postponement, criticising INEC for “shifting the goal post.”