- Nobody should be excluded in party’s preparation for 2023 polls – Atiku
A man in his mid-sixties fainted Wednesday afternoon at the certificate of return presentation ceremony for Alhaji Atiku Abubakar as the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
Over 500 officials, stalwarts, members, journalists and security operatives have gathered as early as 11.30 am inside the NEC Hall venue of the ceremony within the premises of the party’s national secretariat, Abuja for the event which eventually kicked off around 12.30 pm.
The four standing split air-conditioner inside the hall was not enough to douse the near suffocation heat inside the overcrowded hall as most guests were seen fanning themselves with made to do articles.
Suddenly, the old man who was said to be standing slumped and was rushed out of the hall by sympathisers which include, Mr Paul Ibe, the Media Adviser to Atiku.
The man was eventually resuscitated and the event continued unhindered.
After receiving the certificate, Atiku who dedicated his victory to every member of the party including his opponents at the primary appealed to the party leadership to rally everyone being his candidacy, stressing that “nobody should be excluded”.
The campaign for the party’s victory in 2023 he said “will require the entire PDP family and other supporters and sympathizers. We must pull everyone together. Nobody should be excluded; I beg of you.”
“I have already visited some of those who contested against me, as a way to lead in that effort to unify the party so that we can face our real opponents, defeat them in the elections and begin the process of rescuing and rebuilding this country from the callous and dangerous APC misrule over the past seven years which is there for everyone to see.
“I thank all those who assisted my campaign in a variety of ways to enable me to criss-cross this vast country and make my case for our delegates and other party elders and members. To all those who volunteer their time to help with organizing the convention, as well as the security personnel and agencies who ensured that the event was successful, I say thank you very much indeed.”
The candidate commended the leadership of the party and members of the national convention organizing committee, for the transparent conduct of the primary election.
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He said “the NWC assured me that it would be fair and will provide every aspirant a level playing field. I was also assured that once a candidate emerged from our primary election, you will all support that candidate and work very hard to ensure our victory in the presidential election.
“And of course, the governorship election across the country. I am honoured and humbled to receive this certificate of Return haven emerged as our party’s candidate in our just concluded special convention. This victory is a victory for all of us, for our party, and the vast majority of Nigerians suffering under the misrule of the APC. It was a collective effort, and I’m very grateful for everybody’s contributions.
“Let me first thank the organizing committee for the convention under the leadership of the rock solid Senator David Mark for putting together a rancour free and successful convention, believe me, it was the best. I want to thank the National Working Committee of our Party, led by the National chairman the infallible Senator Iyorchia Ayu for the excellent way that he has steered the affairs of this party including overseeing the most successful convention.
“I am particularly grateful that you kept your word and gave us contestants fair treatment, despite what might have been a difficult situation.
“Your integrity and even handedness must be commended I commend our party’s National Executive Committee for putting our party and our country first in its deliberations and decision making process.”
Before presenting the certificate, the national chairman congratulated Atiku and all the aspirants who participated in that primary saying “If they didn’t participate, it actually would not have been a successful event”,
He said ” there were no victors, there were no vanquishes, the party won. It is the party that won. Atiku Abubakar is not yet victorious. He has only been produced as our candidate, the candidate of the whole party.
“We want to thank all of you aspirants for your contribution to the growth of this great party. We appreciate you all.”
Calling on them to further support the party, Ayu said “as we marched forward, we need all of you because each one of you had a supporter and all of you plus all your supporters, we want you all to fuse together into one happy political family. It is this family that will face the battle ahead. We have only started a journey. We shall end this journey sometime next year. By the first of June next year, we should take over power from the clueless government that has totally destroyed this country.”
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