… Says Nigerians Want PDP Back In 2019
The Presidential Candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, has described the All Progressives Congress (APC)-led Federal Government as clueless, and has no solution to the problems facing the people of the country.
Abubakar, who said this in his acceptance speech after winning the party’s presidential ticket during the primaries at Adokiye Amiesimaka Stadium, Port-Harcourt, Sunday, however, said that the PDP will find lasting solutions to the problems facing the people of the country if it wins the 2019 presidential election.
Alhaji Atiku who served as Vice President to former President Olusegun Obasanjo said: “We have enumerated a number of challenges facing this country over and over again. What we should now do in the next phase of our electioneering campaign is to proffer solutions to these challenges we have identified afflicting our country and its people. I, therefore, implore all participants whether at State, local government or national elections to make sure that we proffer solutions to these challenges we have identified.
“It is just not enough saying that APC has failed in A,B,C,D and X but we should, as a political party, proffer solutions to those challenges we have identified. What is going to make us completely different from the clueless government of the APC, by the time we start electioneering campaign, I believe that Nigerians will yearn for our return, if we do so”.
He said that Nigerians want the Peoples Democratic Party to return to power in 2019 so that they would have the years of prosperity, unity, security and development they had enjoyed under the PDP leadership, adding that Nigerians have seen the gross management of the country by the APC-led federal government and want the PDP back in power in next year’s general elections.
He appealed to the members of the party to work with him and ensure that the PDP wins in the presidential election in 2019.
Abubakar, who sounded emotional at some point in his speech, said that he was “humbled” by his emergence as the PDP presidential candidate and assured that he would not disappoint the leaders and members of the party.
He thanked the Chairman of the PDP National Convention Planning Committee and Governor of Delta State, Senator Ifeanyi Okowa, other members of the committee, Governor Wike and the people of Rivers State for the success of the free, fair convention.
The former Vice President commended his fellow presidential aspirants for showing a “sense” of unity, purpose and commitment and thanked the delegates at the convetion for their participation in the primaries.
Earlier, Senate President, Bukola Saraki, who spoke on behalf of other aspirants, thanked the chairman of the party’s national convention planning committee, Governor Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta State and members of his committee for doing the party proud by conducting very credible and transparent presidential primaries.
He congratulated the PDP presidential candidate, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, on behalf of the other presidential aspirants, on his victory, saying that he deserved the victory.
He commended the presidential candidate for “staying on course” in his political journey and finally getting the ticket of the PDP to run for president in the forthcoming 2019 General Elections.
Senator Saraki assured the PDP presidential candidate that the party’s former presidential aspirants would work with him to bring “success” to the PDP in next year’s presidential election, adding that Nigerians are yearning for the party to come back to power in 2019.
The Senate President also thanked delegates at the convention for taking part in the presidential primaries.
On his part, the National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, Prince Uche Secondus while addressing members of the party after Alhaji Abubakar had been declared winner of the presidential primaries, said that the PDP conducted very free and fair party presidential primaries which could not be rivalled by any other party presidential primary. .
He said that PDP and Nigerians will take back the country from the APC-led federal government in the 2019 General Elections and appealed to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to conduct very free and fair elections next year.
He said: “We invite INEC to learn from this template that elections can be conducted free and fair without intimidation, without harassment and without frame-up. We expect this from INEC and from the security agencies so that we can move our country forward and grow our economy”.
He also thanked the presidential aspirants for taking part in the primaries, noting that because the PDP is united, members of the party will carry out the most “civilized” campaign and would work together to ensure that the party wins the presidential election in 2019.
