I2 Years After, Atiku in Landslide Victory, Clinches PDP Presidential Ticket
- Gives perspectives on how Nigeria will be restructured in first post-nomination interview with ARISE NEWS Channel
The
party’s primary held in Port Harcourt on Saturday, the capital of
Rivers State, was Atiku’s third attempt, having lost out in 2006 to late
President Umaru Yar’Adua and 2010 to former President Goodluck
Jonathan. It was an emphatic win for him obtaining 1, 532 of the 3, 221
votes at the colourful national convention that was brought to a close
yesterday afternoon.
Moment
after his victory, Atiku told ARISE NEWS, a sister broadcast station of
THISDAY, that he would work to keep his electioneering pledge of
restructuring Nigeria, saying it was a worthy legacy he intended to
attain and leave for posterity.
According
to results announced by the Chairman of the PDP National Convention
Planning Committee, Senator Ifeanyi Okowa, the governor of Delta State,
Atiku’s closest rival and Sokoto State Governor, Alhaji Aminu Waziri
Tambuwal, polled 693 votes.
He
stated that Senate President Bukola Saraki polled 317 votes while the
former Kano State Governor, Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, scored 158
votes.
Okowa
further announced that Gombe State Governor, Alhaji Ibrahim Dankwambo,
got 111 votes; former Jigawa State Governor, Alhaji Sule Lamido, got 96
votes and former Kaduna State Governor, Senator Ahmed Makarfi picked 74
votes.
He
also announced that a former Minister of Special Duties, Alhaji Kabiru
Turaki, SAN, got 65 votes; former Sokoto State Governor, Alhaji Attahiru
Bafarawa, polled 48 votes while former Senate President, Senator David
Mark, got 35 votes.
Also,
former Plateau State Governor, Senator Jonah Jang, and founder of Baze
University, Abuja, Dr. Datti Baba-Ahmed, got 19 and five votes
respectively. The voided votes were 68.
I have Blueprint for Restructuring, Says Atiku
Speaking
shortly after his nomination, Atiku told ARISE NEWS that he had the
blueprint for the restructuring of the country if elected president of
the country.
He
stated that his administration would devolve power from the centre to
the states and the local government councils, to give them more
responsibilities.
He
said it would not be necessary to set up another constitutional
conference, adding that his administration would look at the
constitution, as well as the concurrent and the exclusive lists and
revert some of the responsibilities to the states and the local
governments.
He
explained, “I don’t think it will be necessary to set up another
constitutional conference. I have said this in many of the
presentations. First of all, let us look at our legislative list in the
Constitution, the concurrent and exclusive lists. I believe that it
would be much easier to sit down with the states and the National
Assembly and say, look at all the items on concurrent list and how they
could be reverted to the states and local governments together with the
resources budgeted for them so that you have less at the federal level.
“Then
you also have to look at the list of items that are in the exclusive
list and know which ones you will have to devolve to the states and
local governments.”
Atiku
said his administration would actualise restructuring in four years
because what he needed was to have understanding with his predecessors
and move on with the process.
“On
whether one could achieve this in one term of four years; once you have
understanding with your predecessors you move on with it. I have the
blue print for the restructuring and I will work with my predecessors to
actualise it. I will be able to let you know the details in due
course,” he said.
He
also said past leaders of the nation who evolved the current political
structure for the country were military leaders who devised a governance
system that made it easy for them to govern Nigeria under military
rule, but noted that for the country to move forward it had to be
restructured.
Atiku
told ARISE NEWS, “You mentioned previous leaders; I want you to know
that those previous leaders were all military heads of state. The
current structure was brought about by the military because they believe
in the unified system and centralized system of governance. This is
quite understandable during the time they did it.
“It
is our responsibility to leave Nigeria better than we found it for the
younger generation of Nigerians coming up. This is very important to me.
I will like to see them better than they are today. That is the driving
force behind these struggles.”
He
acknowledged that the country has challenges ranging from unemployment,
instability and economic downturn, which have weighed it down.
To
resolve these challenges, according to him, a new leadership with
capacity and know-how is needed to resolve these issues and move the
country forward.
“Of
course we have challenges; there is no doubt about that; so we would
like to have a leadership that has the capacity that has the experience
and the know-how to tackle the challenges that are so obvious now. We
know them, the high rate of unemployment, economic downturn, recession,
insecurity in the country. Cumulatively these have really affected peace
and stability in the country and development. So you cannot close your
eyes to all these challenges because you are self fulfilled,” he added.
In
his acceptance speech, he had thanked his fellow contestants for
displaying a sense of unity, purpose and commitment and called for their
support in the contest ahead, saying he could not press ahead alone.
“I
am ever ready to work with each and every one of them for the
realisation of the victory of our party in the forthcoming elections. I
cannot do it alone,” he said.
Atiku
paid tribute to former President Olusegun Obasanjo, Rivers State
Governor Nyesom Wike and other PDP leaders, describing the convention as
a landmark event.
According
to him, “I would not have succeeded as a presidential candidate if
President Olusegun Obasanjo had not made me his vice president. Under
his tutelage, I learnt quite a lot. I wish to pay my personal tribute to
him.”
He
said that he and PDP leaders cannot afford to fail Nigerians at this
very moment, saying the party chairman and members of his party would
not find him wanting.
Jonathan, Saraki, Wike, Dickson, Clark, Congratulate Atiku
Torrents of congratulatory messages poured in for Atiku yesterday.
Former
president, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan, who defeated Atiku in the 2010
primary, congratulated him, describing him as a man who had the capacity
to take the country to greater heights.
Jonathan
said, “I congratulate His Excellency, Atiku Abubakar, Waziri Adamawa,
and by the grace of God and the votes of Nigerians, the next President
of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. Our party members have spoken and
have nominated you as the candidate for the forthcoming presidential
elections. I am convinced that you have all it takes to take Nigeria to
greater heights and transform her into a hub for prosperity and
happiness.”
Saraki
in a statement by his Special Adviser (Media and Publicity), Alhaji
Yusuph Olaniyonu, also congratulated Atiku and commended the delegates
to the convention as well as members of the organizing committee, led by
Okowa, for holding a convention in which a candidate was elected in a
free, fair, transparent and rancour-free atmosphere.
He
said, “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.
“More
importantly, let me congratulate the winner and new flag bearer of our
party and all the fellow aspirants for running credible and mature
campaigns and working all along to reassure millions of our fellow party
members and other Nigerians that PDP will leave the convention venue
more united and ready to work together to form the next government at
the federal and other levels in a manner that we will unite the country,
grow the economy, carry along all stakeholders, empower the youths and
make government serve the people better.”
Wike
congratulated Atiku and in company with Akwa Ibom State counterpart,
Mr. Udom Emmanuel, assured the candidate that he would continue to work
for the success of the PDP.
Bayelsa
State Governor, Mr. Seriake Dickson, described Atiku as a leader with
requisite experience and knowledge to tackle the challenges bedeviling
the country.
A
statement by his Special Adviser on Media Relations, Mr. Fidelis
Soriwei, quoted him as commending the other aspirants for demonstrating
the spirit of sportsmanship by accepting the verdict of the delegates.
He
said: “Let me congratulate the former Vice President and now the
Presidential Candidate of our great party, (PDP), Alhaji Atiku Abubakar,
for his resounding victory in a free, fair, transparent and credible
primary election.
“Let
me also congratulate the National Chairman and all members of the
National Working Committee of our party, and Dr Ifeanyi Okowa and his
team for their hard work and the good job they have done.
“We
look forward to working, collaborating and supporting him in that
onerous responsibility. As he rightly said, it’s not a job left for him
alone”
Elder
statesman and leader of the Niger Delta, Chief Edwin Clark, described
Atiku as the change that Nigerians had been yearning for.
Clark
said he was happy at the election process that saw emergence of Atiku,
which he described as “transparent and honest,” adding that it is the
best primary ever conducted by any political party in the country.
“I
use this opportunity to congratulate Atiku who has been tipped to win
the contest. I am appealing to other contestants to come together and
work with him. Atiku has the ability and capacity to move Nigeria
forward. He is the change that the people have been yearning for. I hope
and pray the members of the PDP will unite and work together to take
over the government,” he said.
The Southern and Middle Belt Leaders Forum (SMBLF) also congratulated Atiku.
The
forum said his election came from a keenly contested primary in what
was generally seen as a free and fair process “is a breath of fresh air
to the democratic project in Nigeria.
The
forum in a statement by Mr. Yinka Odumakin, South-west; Senator Bassey
Henshaw, South-south; Prof. Chigozie Ogbu, South-east and Dr. Isuzu
Dogo, Middle Belt, said, “It is never too early to remind the
presidential candidate of the clear commitment to the fundamental issue
of restructuring he has made overtime and which the former Chairman of
the Caretaker Committee of the party, Senator Makarfi adumbrated as a
party agenda.
“It
is clear today that no amount of good governance programs can get
Nigeria out of the woods without a proper structure that can restore
Nigeria to productivity under federalism.”
Saraki, Kwankwaso, Dankwambo for Senate
Meanwhile, EReporter was reliably informed last night that Saraki, Kwankwaso and
Dankwambo have been handed the Senate tickets of their districts by the
party leadership as part of post convention peace building.
Tambuwal too is being offered a return ticket to the Sokoto State Government House, a party source told EReporter.
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