By Goodluck Ikiebe in Abuja.
Nigeria’s Former Vice-President, Atiku Abubakar, has emerged as the presidential candidate of the opposition party, the Peoples Democratic Party.
Atiku emerged as a candidate at the end of the presidential primary after polling 371 votes.
He defeated the Governor of Rivers State, Nyesom Wike, who scored 237 votes.
Other aspirants with the number of votes polled include; Bukola Saraki – 70; Sam Ohuanbunwa – 1; Anyim Pius Anyim – 14; Udom Emmanuel – 38 votes; Bala Mohammed – 20.
The Governor of Sokoto State, Aminu Tambuwal, had earlier withdrawn from the presidential race and had given his support to the former Vice President.
Our Correspondent recalls that Atiku had in 1993, contested the Social Democratic Party presidential primary, losing to Moshood Abiola and Baba Gana Kingibe.
He was a presidential candidate of the Action Congress in the 2007 presidential election coming in third to Umaru Yar’Adua of the PDP and Muhammadu Buhari of the ANPP.
The former Vice President contested the presidential primary of the Peoples Democratic Party during the 2011 presidential election losing out to incumbent President Goodluck Jonathan.
In 2014, he joined the All Progressives Congress ahead of the 2015 presidential election and contested the presidential primary and lost to Muhammadu Buhari.
In 2017, he returned to the Peoples Democratic Party and was the party’s presidential candidate during the 2019 presidential election, again losing to incumbent President Muhammadu Buhari.
For the second time in a succession, the former Vice president will fly the party’s flag.
Our Correspondent reports that 12 votes were void, while twelve aspirants contested for the ticket of the PDP.
Total delegates is 773 but 767 were accredited to vote.
Edited by Dada Ahmed.
