We’ll rescue Nigeria from dangerous APC misrule, says Atiku as he receives PDP certificate of return

The Presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party for the 2023 elections , Atiku Abubakar, has appealed to party members to support him and the party to win the 2023 elections.

Atiku made the appeal while receiving his certificate of return from the PDP National Chairman, Sen. Iyiochia Ayu, at a ceremony held at the party’s National Secretariat, Abuja, on Wednesday.

He enjoined members of the party irrespective of aspirants they supported during the primary to close ranks and work towards the success of the party during the 2023 general elections.

Atiku explained that the presidential primary was a contest among members of one family but the 2023 elections was different.

He said, “It 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 calours and dangerous APC misrule over the past seven years which is there for everyone to see. “

The candidate expressed gratitude to the party’s National Working Committee and the Senator David Mark-led Convention Planning Committee for Organising a hitch free convention.

Atiku further said, “When I came here in April and informed the National Working Committee of my intention to offer myself for consideration as the flag bearer of our great party, the People’s Democratic Party in the forthcoming election. I was very well and warmly received.

“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.

“I am honored 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 for 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 rancor free and successful convention, believe me it was the best.“

He further said, “ 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. “

In his remarks, National Chairman of the PDP, Sen. Iyiochia Ayu said, “Today we are going to start the journey of 1000 miles. This event is not a celebration of victory.

“It is simply an appreciation of the hard work of all party members who have done us proud to organize a very successful convention.

“I want to first thank my brother and friend, Senator David Alechenu Mark and the whole team that made it possible for us to have this successful convention.

“Within the PDP family, we had a minor contest, a small contest within the family. 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.

“I want to congratulate him and congratulate all the aspirants who participated in that event. If they didn’t participate, it actually would not have been a successful event, but thank God.

“As we march 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 colourless and clueless government that has totally destroyed this country. “