President of the Senate, Dr. Abubakar Bukola Saraki and his deputy, Senator Ike Ekweremadu have formally congratulated former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, for emerging as the Presidential flag bearer of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) at the just concluded national convention of the party held in Port Harcourt.
Saraki in a statement signed by his Special Adviser (Media and Publicity), Yusuph Olaniyonu also commended the delegates to the convention and members of the organizing committee, led by Governor Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta State, for holding a convention in which a candidate was elected in a free, fair, transparent and rancour-free atmosphere.
“Our just concluded convention was a partisan event which the country can show-case as an example that democracy has a future in Nigeria and that when we are determined we can elect our leaders without any manipulation, intimidation and violation of the law and democratic norms.
“The credit goes to the leadership of our party led by Prince Uche Secondus, the organizing committee led by Governor Okowa, the numerous delegates who came from across the country and conducted themselves in a civil, mature and democratic manner. I give kudos to them.
Ekweremadu also congratulated the other aspirants and the PDP on what he described as “crucial and rancor-free”, noting that the process was more important than everything else as all the aspirants were eminently qualified to lead the nation.
Reacting to the outcome of the convention, which produced the former Vice President as the winner with 1,532 votes, Ekweremadu said: “I join our teeming party faithful and supporters to congratulate Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, the incoming President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, by God’s grace, on his nomination as the standard-bearer of the PDP in the 2019 presidential election.
“This is a watershed and momentous occasion for the PDP and indeed the nation.
“More important in the race was the transparent, free, fair, credible, and peaceful process.
“I commend the party leadership and the Convention Planning Committee for giving us one of the best primary elections in Nigeria’s history.
“Our party has, by this, demonstrated the full revival of internal democracy and total rebranding for the best democratic ethos.
“I commend the aspirants for the maturity, decorum, friendship, and mutual respect that characterised the jostle for the presidential ticket. I urge them and the party faithful to continue to work together for the party’s victory in the 2019 general elections.
“The mission to rescue Nigeria towers above individual interest and it is one that we cannot afford to fail Nigerians”.
Credit: Vanguard.
