By Felix Ekwu
Former Vice President of Nigeria, Atiku Abubakar has again won the presidential primary of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP.
Abubakar defeated twelve other contestants on Saturday at the 2022 PDP National Convention which was held at the Moshood Abiola Stadium in Abuja.
The former Vice President polled 371 votes to defeat his close challenger, the Governor of Rivers State, Nyesom Wike, who scored 237 votes.
Former Governor of Kwara State, Bukola Saraki polled 70 votes, Gabriel Udom Emmanuel 38, Bala Mohammed 20, Anyim Pius Anyim 14, Sam Iheanyichukwu Ohuabunwa 1 and Diana Tariela Oliver 1.
The presidential primary had 763 accredited delegates, 751 valid votes and 12 invalid votes.
Chairman of the 2022 PDP National Convention Organising Committee (NCOC), Senator David Mark, officially announced Atiku Abubakar as the winner of the presidential primary.
Governor Aminu Tabuwal of Sokoto State stepped down for the former Vice President just before the commencement of voting saying, “I have come to the conclusion – to the glory of God Almighty, seeing millions of Nigerians suffering and the need for us to close ranks in the party and as one of the leaders in this party – I have come to a patriotic conclusion to step down my aspiration,” the former Speaker of the House of Representatives told the gathering.
“And not only that, I have appealed to my supporters to take this in good strides and for national unity and patriotism – not only that, those who are delegates here – should vote for Alhaji Atiku Abubakar.”
The presidential aspirant who earlier in the day withdrew contest was Mohammed Hayatu-Deen.
Hayatu-Deen hinged his withdrawal from the race on what he described as an “obscenely monetised” process.
With this victory, Atiku Abubakar, who was Vice President of Nigeria from 1999 to 2007, will again fly the PDP flag for the presidential election in 2023.
