TheCable

Iyorchia Ayu, national chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), has commended Aminu Tambuwal, governor of Sokoto, for his role at the just-concluded presidential primary of the party.

The PDP held a special convention on Saturday to elect its presidential candidate for the 2023 general election.

While making a presentation at the event, Tambuwal, who had also been screened to contest the presidential ticket, announced his withdrawal from the race and asked his supporters to back former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar.

At the end of the exercise, Atiku polled 371 votes and was declared the winner, while Nyesom Wike, governor of Rivers, who was his closest challenger, secured 237 votes.

Former Senate President Bukola Saraki placed third with 70 votes, followed by Udom Emmanuel, governor of Akwa Ibom (38), and Bala Mohammed, Bauchi governor (20).

Speaking on Sunday when he paid a visit to Tambuwal, the PDP national chairman hailed him for his efforts during the convention.

“Thank you. You are the hero of the convention,” Ayu told Tambuwal as they shook hands.

Meanwhile, before the exercise, northern stalwarts in the PDP had met on Friday night to decide on a consensus candidate, but failed to reach an agreement.

Sources told TheCable that the meeting, which took place in Abuja, was at the instance of Sule Lamido, former governor of Jigawa who was supporting Tambuwal for the party’s presidential ticket.

The hopefuls were asked to rally behind one candidate to prevent Nyesom Wike, governor of Rivers, from clinching the party’s ticket — the Rivers governor was seen as the biggest threat to the north.