PDP Presidential Primary: Aspirants to Sign Undertaking not to Defect

Laleye Dipo in Minna

All the presidential aspirants on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) are to sign an undertaking that they will not defect after the presidential primary election.

The undertaken would also be for those that lose to support the candidate of the party for the 2019 presidential election.

The decisions were taken in Abuja Wednesday night when all the aspirants met with members of the National Working Committee (NWC) of the party.

One of the aspirants and former vice-president, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, confirmed this in Minna Thursday while answering questions from newsmen after addressing potential delegates and other stakeholders of the party at its secretariat.

“This is an issue that came up last night, we had our first meeting with members of the National Working Committee.

“It was agreed that before the conduct of the primaries, there will be more meetings. In one of the meetings, we will sign an undertaking to support who may emerge as candidate.

“We were assured of transparent primaries by the party,” Atiku said.

The presidential aspirant pledged that he would abide by whatever agreement reached, expressing confidence that he would emerge as the candidate of the PDP for next year’s election.

“I have participated in a number of presidential primaries. At the end of the primaries, I have always committed myself to supporting whoever emerged. I don’t think it is going to be a different case this time around,” he said.

Atiku said his ambition to become Nigeria’s president had never been a do-or-die affair, saying: “I have always been motivated by service to the nation. I am not motivated by selfishness.”

According to him, “My ability and my health will determine if I will continue to offer my service to this nation if I do not win the primaries.”

Commenting on the performance of the All Progressives Congress (APC) government, the former vice-president declared: “In the last three years of the APC, we have recorded the lowest economic growth in the history of this country since we returned to democracy

“APC has failed as far as the economic growth is concerned. That is why we are the highest country with joblessness. We have the highest poverty rate; we have been described as the headquarters of poverty in the world.”

Atiku had earlier addressed the PDP stakeholders where he admonished them to vote for him for the “real change” to come to Nigeria.

The state Chairman of the PDP, Alhaji Tanko Beji, assured Atiku that the state delegates would be fair and just while taking a decision on who to vote for at the convention.