• Wike, Tambuwal, others absent
Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar ,on Wednesday, received his Certificate of Return as the winner of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presidential primary at the party headquarters in Abuja.
The development came just as some of the aspirants who contested for the primary with him were absent at the presentation ceremony.
Atiku was among the 14 aspirants of the PDP who faced the party’s screening panel, and he won the ticket.
Those who did not attend Wednesday event include Governors Nyesom Wike (Rivers); Aminu Tambuwal (Sokoto), Bala Mohammed (Bauchi), former Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Anyim Pius Anyim and former Ekiti State Governor Ayo Fayose.
But five of the defeated aspirants were present at the event. They are former Senate President, Bukola Saraki, Akwa Ibom State Governor Udom Emmanuel, an industrialist, Mazi Sam Ohuabunwa, former Managing Director of FSB Bank, Mohammed Hayatu-Deen and Teriale Oliver.
Speaking shortly after receiving the certificate, Atiku thanked the leadership of the PDP and other members of the party for conducting a seamless primary.
He said: “The National Working Committee (NWC) assured me that it (primary) would be free and fair and provide every aspirant a level-playing field.
“I was also assured that once a candidate emerged from our primary election, you would all support that candidate and work very hard to ensure our victory in the presidential election.
“I am honoured and humbled to receive this Certificate of Return, having emerged as our party’s candidate in our just-concluded special convention.
“This victory is for all of us: for our party and for the vast majority of Nigerians… It was a collective effort, and I am very grateful for everybody’s contributions.
“I thank all those who assisted my campaign in a variety of ways to enable me to crisscross this vast country and make my case for our delegates and other party elders and members.
“To all those who volunteered their time to help with organising the convention, as well as the security personnel and agencies who ensured that the event was successful, I say thank you very much indeed.
“Let us all remember that what just happened was a contest within a family to decide how to put our best foot forward. The main contest is the one to win the presidency of our country for our party.
“It will require the entire PDP family and other supporters and sympathisers. We must pull everyone together. Nobody should be excluded, I beg of you.
“I have already visited some of those who contested against me, as a way to lead in that effort to unify the party so that we can face our real opponents, defeat them in the elections and begin the process of rescuing and rebuilding this country from the callous and dangerous APC misrule over the past seven years, which is there for everyone to see.”
In his own comment at the event, the PDP National Chairman, Dr. Iyorchia Ayu, described the party’s primary election as a minor contest within a family, saying there was neither victor nor vanquished.
