Former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar, has emerged the presidential candidate of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for the 2023 general election.

Atiku polled 371 votes to clinch the presidential ticket of the PDP.

The presidential primaries of the main opposition party was held at the MKO Abiola National Stadium in Abuja on Saturday.

Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, emerged the runner-up with 237 votes, while former Senate President, Bukola Saraki, came third with 70 votes.

Announcing the results, the Chairman and Chief Retuning Officer of the PDP Special Convention, Sen. David Mark, said the total number of accredited delegates was 767, the total number of votes cast was 763, while 13 were invalid votes.

Mark announced that Governor Udom Emmanuel of Akwa-Ibom State polled 38 votes, while Governor Bala Mohammed of Bauchi State got 20 votes.

Former Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Sen. Anyim Pius Anyim polled 14 votes.

The only female aspirant, Mrs Tari Oliver, and the former President of the Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria, Mazi Samuel Ohuabunwa, scored 01 vote each.

Other aspirants with zero votes include former governor of Ekiti State, Ayodele Fayose; Publisher of Ovation Magazine, Dele Momodu; former Speaker of Abia State, Chikwendu Kalu; and former Deputy Speaker of Abia State, Cosmos Ndekwe.

In his  acceptance speech, Atiku urged his fellow contestants in the primary election to work with him for the victory of the party.

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The former Vice President described the primary election that produced him freest and a well-fought election, pledging to work with the co-aspirants and give them sense of belonging, if elected.

He said: “Let me also use this opportunity to call on my fellow contestants and to assure them that I am ready to cooperate and work with them and give them a sense of belonging in this party and our next government.

“Therefore, my fellow compatriots, I want to appreciate your efforts in deepening our democratic processes in this party. It was a well fought primary election.

“So, I commend you for that and I look forward to working with you very closely. So that together we can build this party to a level where we can take over the government,” Atiku stated.

Atiku contested the PDP presidential primaries during the 2011 presidential election but lost to incumbent President Goodluck Jonathan.

In 2014, he joined the All Progressives Congress (APC) ahead of the 2015 presidential election and contested the presidential primary and lost to Muhammadu Buhari.

In 2017, he returned to the PDP and was the party’s presidential candidate during the 2019 presidential election, again losing to incumbent President Muhammadu Buhari.

The Star