The National Chairman of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Sen. Iyorchia Ayu, has urged all former presidential aspirants, party leaders and members to work in unity for PDP to win the 2023 general elections.
Ayu made the call on Wednesday in Abuja while presenting PDP flag and Certificate of Return to Atiku Abubakar, as the party presidential candidate.
Ayu said that the just concluded primary was just a small PDP family contest, where there was no victor, no vanquishe, but only the party won.
He said that Abubakar was not yet victorious but had only been produced as PDP candidate, hence, the need to work together for the victory of the party in 2023.
“I urge all of you to come together. It does not matter which aspirant you supported, come together and support the party.
“Support our efforts, support our candidates, the next president of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
“I want to assure you that we in the National Working Committee will continue to work tirelessly because you did not elect to us to organize a successful convention, you elected us to win the presidency for you.
“You elected us to give you more governors, you elected us to take control of the two houses of the National Assembly. You elected us to win all the houses of assembly across the states.
“We will continue to do just that by working with you, by calling on many of you to come and help us execute this objectives because we cannot do it alone,” Ayu said.
The party chairman commended Sen. David Mark-led PDP National Convention Organising Committee and all the aspirants who made the primary election a success.
“We want to thank all of you aspirants for your contribution to the growth of this great party. We appreciate you all.
“We want you all to fuse together into one happy political family. It is this family that will face the battle ahead.
Ayu who expressed optimism that Abubakar would emerge victorious in the February 2023 election, described him as a tested and trusted Nigerians who would reunite the country and rebuild its economy.
He also said that Abubakar would tackle insecurity, re-enforce the armed forces and give Nigeria the respect it deserved in the international community.
Abubakar, shortly after receiving his certificate of return, said his emergence was a victory for the party and vast majority of Nigerians.
The former vice president, who described his victory as a collective effort of all, called for the supports of all PDP family and Nigerians for victory in 2023.
“While I am excited and happy for this opportunity to bear our party’s flag again, 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 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.
“This for us to be able to face our real opponents, defeat them in the elections and begin the process of rescuing and rebuilding this country,” he said.
Abubakar on Saturday emerged as PDP candidate for 2023 presidential election with a score of 371 out of 763 vote cast, defeating his close contender, Gov. Nyesom Wike of Rivers, who polled 237 votes.