Atiku can’t stop Buhari’s victory – UK APC

UK chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) says the emergence of Atiku Abubakar as presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has made the re-election of President Muhammadu Buhari easier.

Mr Ade Omole, leader of APC UK made the assertion in a statement made available to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), on Monday in Abuja.

According to him, President Buhari remains the best candidate for the 2019 presidential election among the array of presidential candidates being paraded by other political parties.

He maintained that Atiku’s candidature would not stop the victory of the APC.

“The task for 2019 election has just been made easier by the leading opposition party by electing a presidential candidate who was part of the country’s problem in the 16 years of PDP rule.

“Nigerians should be wise enough to know, therefore, that he has nothing new to bring to the table.

“While I want Nigerians to vote wisely in 2019, I assure that as we did in 2015, we will work hard again to ensure that President Buhari is re-elected.

“On behalf of Nigerians and the progressives in the Diaspora, I congratulate President Buhari for accepting his nomination to be the APC presidential candidate for 2019 election.

"His election by over 14 million registered members of the party during the APC presidential primaries held across the federation speaks volumes,” Omole said.

He further said that Nigerians in the Diaspora were delighted at the enormous recovery tasks undertaken by the Buhari-led administration in securing the country, growing the economy and curbing corruption within the polity.

The leader of the APC UK chapter commended Buhari and his cabinet for laying the foundation for a better Nigeria.

He however urged APC members across the world not to be distracted, but continue to work hard to ensure the party’s victory at all levels of government in 2019.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that President Buhari scored a total of 14,842,072 votes at the party’s recent direct primaries held in 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory to pick the APC presidential ticket.

His candidacy was affirmed by 7,000 delegates from 36 states of the federation and the FCT at the APC National Presidential Convention on Saturday.

Aside the statutory delegates, three delegates were drawn from 774 Local Government Area of the 36 states of the federation and the FCT, who got elected at the party’s Congresses held earlier.

NAN further reports that Atiku, a former Vice President beat 11 contestants to secure the PDP ticket with 1,532 votes during the party’s presidential primaries held in Port Harcourt.

A total of 3,274 delegates participated in the election, with his closest challenger, Gov. Aminu Tambuwal of Sokoto State, having just 693 votes.

Other presidential candidates seeking to upstage Buhari include, Mr Donald Duke of Social Democratic Party (SDP), Dr Oby Ezekwesili of Allied Congress Party of Nigeria among others.

The presidential election will hold on Feb. 14,2019.