The candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the 2023 presidential election, Atiku Abubakar, has charged members of the party to get to work and not take the “impending defeat” of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) for granted.
Addressing members of the National Working Committee (NWC), party chieftains and supporters shortly after receiving his Certificate of Return as the Presidential candidate of the PDP in the coming elections, Atiku said what happened was not an election but a process for the party to put its best forward for the general election.
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This was as he also pleaded with the NWC to bring everyone on board towards wrestling power from the APC, adding that “we should not take their defeat for granted. We must unite and work extremely hard for every single vote in this country. There is so much to do. And there is very little time to waste. So let’s get to work.”
Atiku said he is excited for the opportunity to bear the party’s flag “Let us all remember that what just happened is a contest within a family to decide how to put our best foot forward. The main contest is the one to win the presidency of our country for our party.
“It will require the entire PDP family and other supporters and sympathizers. We must pull everyone together. Nobody should be excluded. 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.”
Speaking earlier the National Chairman, Dr Iyorchia Ayu said there were no victor, no vanquish. It is the party that won. Atiku Abubakar is not yet victorious. He has only been produced as our candidate.
The Chairman said the party will need all its members including the aspirants and their supporters, “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 colourless and clueless government that has totally destroyed this country.”
He said Nigerians are aware of the prevailing issues of insecurity, total destruction of the economy, total disunity of the country. We have never been as divided as we are today as a country. Families are divided, communities are divided against each other. There is no trust among ourselves.
According to him, Atiku is tested and trusted. He will lead us to reunite the country. He will lead us to rebuild the economy. He will lead us to get rid of bandits and terrorists. He will re-enforce the armed forces. He will give us respect in the international community. In the next 12 months, the whole world will begin to respect Nigeria all over again.”
