House Of Reps Minority Leader, Elumelu Congratulates Atiku On Election As PDP Presidential Candidate, Urges Unity, Support For Ex-Vice President

The Minority Leader of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Ndudi Elumelu has congratulated former Vice President Atiku Abubakar on his election as the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

Atiku was on Saturday elected as the presidential candidate of the party in an election that was keenly monitored all over Nigeria and beyond.

Atiku had 371 votes, defeating his closest challenger, Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State, who had 237 votes. A former President of the Senate, Bukola Saraki, had 70 votes, Governor Udom Emmanuel of Akwa Ibom State had 38 votes while Bauchi State Governor, Bala Mohammed, got 20 votes.

A former Senate President, Pius Anyim, had 14 votes, while a former President of the Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria, Sam Ohuabunwa, had one vote.

In a statement on Sunday, Elumelu congratulated Atiku and other aspirants for their courage and spirit of sportsmanship.

He said, “I heartily congratulate His Excellency, Atiku Abubakar, the former Vice President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria on his election as the Presidential Candidate of our great Party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for the 2023 general elections.

“I commend all the other Presidential aspirants at the PDP National Convention for their courage, patriotism and remarkable spirit of sportsmanship which they displayed throughout the consultation period up to the National Convention.

“There is no gainsaying the fact that all our Presidential aspirants are eminently qualified and that their aspirations were driven by patriotism in line with the mission of the PDP to rescue our nation from the catastrophic misrule of the vicious, corrupt and incompetent All Progressives Congress (APC).

“However, the delegates have spoken and resoundingly so in electing His Excellency, Atiku Abubakar as the Presidential standard-bearer to lead our Party and indeed Nigerians to victory in the 2023 Presidential election.

“The emergence of His Excellency Atiku Abubakar, with his excellent performance record and unmatched popularity across the nation, signals the beginning of PDP’s historic journey back to power in 2023 to commence the process of reuniting, redirecting, rescuing and rebuilding our nation from the ashes of the misrule of the APC led government.

“It is not a coincidence that His Excellency Atiku Abubakar took the mantle as Presidential candidate at the break of May 29, 2022; a date which significantly points to May 29, 2023.

“What Nigerians expect from our Party at the moment is to put aside all personal and sectional interests, reinforce our unity and lead the charge to salvage our nation and return her to the path of unity, national cohesion and economic prosperity.

“I commend the National Working Committee, the PDP Governors’ Forum, the Board of Trustees, the National Assembly Caucus, the Senator David Mark-led National Convention Organizing Committee (NCOC) and all other organs and structures of our Party across the federation for our collective efforts in ensuring the success of our National Convention despite the roadblocks mounted by the APC.

“I urge us to remain united and focused as we march with Nigerians to victory in 2023.”