Work With Me — Atiku Abubakar Urges Defeated PDP Presidential Aspirants

Atiku Abubakar, the winner of the People’s Democratic Party’s presidential ticket, has urged his fellow candidates to collaborate with him for the benefit of the party.

This was stated by Abubakar in his acceptance speech after being declared the winner of the PDP primary and the party’s candidate on Sunday morning in Abuja.

He described the primary election as freest and most competitive, promising to work with the other candidates and give them a sense of belonging if elected.

“Let me also use this opportunity to call on my fellow contestants and to assure them that I am ready to cooperate and work with them and give them a sense of belonging in this party and our next government.

“Therefore, my fellow compatriots, I want to appreciate your efforts in deepening our democratic processes in this party. It was a well fought primary election.

“ So, I commend you for that and I look forward to working with you very closely. So that together we can build this party to a level where we can take over the government,” Abubakar said.

He also appealed to aggrieved party members to return to the PDP, pledging that their grievances would be addressed.

Abubakar described the exercise as the freest election conducted by the party, saying the outcome remains historical in bringing fundamental changes to governance and democracy.

“Today, we are making another history. The history, which we believe will bring about fundamental changes in governance and also in our political processes.

“Today, we have witnessed another one of the freest elections to be conducted by our great party.

“Today marks another milestone in the process of our democratic gains,” he said

The former vice president reiterated his pledge to unify the country as well as deal with its economic and security challenges.

He recalled that in his declaration he referred to himself as a unifier and pledged to unify the country.

“I am going to deal decisively with our security challenges in this country. I also pledge to confront our economic challenges, which were caused by the APC government.

“The PDP made Nigeria one of the most prosperous countries on the African continent.

“We implemented economic reforms that brought about jobs, and prosperity in this country,” the gains according to him had been wiped out, pledging to return them.”

Abubakar polled 371 votes to defeat his close contender, Gov. Nyesom Wike of Rivers, who polled 237 votes.