Atiku Abubakar, the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Presidential candidate in the 2023 is on a charm – offensive.
Atiku began barely 48 hours after he clinched the ticket at the Primaries held at the Moshood Abiola Stadium, Abuja on Saturday, May 28, 2022. With a comfortable 371 votes, he defeated 12 others after the Governor of Sokoto State, Aminu Tambuwal, stepped down for him. The National Chairman of the Party, Dr Iyorchia Ayu, on an apparent thank you visit to Tambuwal, hailed him as the “hero of the Convention.”
Atiku’s closest rival was Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, who scored a respectable 237 votes. Feeling betrayed by, especially, Southern Governors, Wike left the venue before the end of the Convention.
Atiku, however, began fence-mending for a united front in order to defeat the All Progressives Congress, APC, at the 2023 Presidential polls.
His first port of call, with his entourage, was Governor Wike’s Lodge in Abuja. After the visit, Atiku, who was a former Vice President and the 2019 PDP Presidential candidate, tweeted: “In continuation of my commitment to bring everyone on board in ensuring that the @officialPDPNig stands as one united, party, earlier today, I visited His Excellency Gov Nyseom Wike at his Abuja residence. This is a continuous process. -AA”
From Wike’s House, he went to visit former Senate President, Dr Bukola Saraki who scored 70 votes.
He also tweeted:
“To unify our country Nigeria, we have to start with bringing every member of the @OfficialPDPNig under the covering of the umbrella. My visit to @bukolasaraki not long ago underscores this commitment. More to follow. -AA.”
The Presidential candidate also visited another Presidential aspirant, Anyim Pius Anyim, who was a Senate President, and a former Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF).
After meeting Anyim, Atiku tweeted:
“I was also at the residence of Senator Anyim Pius Anyim to pay him a courtesy visit and consult with him on strengthening the cohesion in our great party, @OfficialPDPNig. -AA #OneNigeria.”
With the Presidential Primaries out of the way, the attention is now focused on who Atiku’s running mate will be.
Two names have come up according to sources, Wike and Anyim.
Those rooting for Wike say he has made a lot of sacrifices for the Party, and did well at the Primaries.
However, those in favour of Anyim insist that the South-east should be given a feeling of belonging in the PDP, having not produced either the President or Vice President.
Consultations continue.
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