This is how Atiku became Buhari's major challenger

Two factors worked for Atiku’s victory. One is
his campaign on restructuring which earned
him the support of delegates for the South
East, South West and South-South.

Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar
Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar
yesterday emerged as the candidate of the
opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP),
making him the main challenger to President
Muhammadu Buhari of the All Progressives
Congress (APC) in the 2019 presidential
election.

At the party’s national convention which held
at the Adokie Amiesiekema Stadium in Port
Harcourt, Rivers State, Atiku polled 1,532
votes to defeat his closest rival Sokoto State
Governor Aminu Waziri Tambuwal who scored
693 votes.

Senate President Bukola Saraki scored 317
votes to come third, while Senator Rabiu
Musa Kwankwaso followed with 158 votes.
Alhaji Sule Lamido polled 96 votes, while
former Kaduna State Governor Ahmed
Makarfi scored 74 votes.

Former Minister of Special Duties, Alhaji
Tanimu Turaki scored 65 votes while former
Sokoto State Governor Attahiru Bafarawa got
48 votes.

Former Senate President David Mark got 35
votes, former Plateau State Governor Jona
Jang scored 19 votes, while Datti Baba-
Ahmed had 5 votes.

Factors that worked for Atiku
Daily Trust learnt that two factors worked for
Atiku’s victory. One is his campaign on
restructuring which earned him the support
of delegates for the South East, South West
and South-South.

Governor Seriake Dickson of Bayelsa State
said all the delegates from the state voted
for Atiku to help in his fight for restructuring
the country.

Some other issues played out in the build up
to the convention, including the 11th hour
endorsement of Atiku by former President
Olusegun Obasanjo and other generals, which
necessitated the presence of General Aliyu
Gusau at the convention.

A member of the Atiku campaign
organisation, who does not want his name in
print, said the major decider was the 11th
hour support of the candidature of Atiku by
former President Olusegun Obasanjo and
other past generals.

Another factor that worked for Atiku is the
resolve of some northern delegates to vote
for a candidate that has the clout to stand
against President Buhari in 2019.

“If you take a look at all the aspirants, you will
observe that Atiku is the most formidable
candidate that can stand Buhari in any election. I
do not mean that other aspirants are not credible
but you needed somebody that has a clout to
march Buhari head on and that personality is
Atiku Abubakar,” said a delegate who pleaded
anonymity.

Another source said Atiku won the primaries
because some PDP governors and other
stakeholders took him for granted.
But the Coordinator of Atiku Media Office,
Paul Ibe, said the delegates voted with
passion in order for the PDP to reclaim power
and fix the socio-economic, political and
security challenges bedevilling the nation.
Source: DailyTrust