Why I Stepped Down For Atiku – Tambuwal Opens Up

Sokoto State Governor, Aminu Tambuwal, has revealed why he stepped down for former Vice President Atiku Abubakar in the just-concluded PDP presidential primary of the party.

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) held a special convention at the MKO Abiola Stadium, Abuja on Saturday to elect its presidential candidate for the 2023 general election.

Newsflash Nigeria had earlier reported that as delegates were about to commence voting, Governor Tambuwal withdrew from the presidential race, giving former Vice President Atiku Abubakar an edge over his major contender, Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State.

While making the formal announcement, the governor had pledged his support for Mr Abubakar and urged the delegates to vote for the former vice president, who soon emerged as the party’s flag bearer with 371 votes from the 767 delegates accredited for the convention.

“I have appealed to my supporters to take this in good strides and for national unity and patriotism – not only that, those who are delegates here – should vote for Alhaji Atiku Abubakar,” Mr Tambuwal had said.

In a chat with The Punch, spokesman to Governor Tambuwal, Mohammed Bello, said his principal stepped down from the race because some aspirants were bribing delegates and compromising the process.

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Bello said Tambuwal will not take part in a process which was heavily monetized, adding that such a thing is not the best for the country.

He said the governor believed in the need for the PDP to rally around one another and present a candidate that can save Nigeria and asked his delegates to vote for a particular aspirant of his choice.

Bello said the ambition of his boss was never a do-or-die affair but to save the country from the bad governance of the All Progressives Congress-led administration.

The governor’s spokesman, however, dismissed the statement credited to some groups that the North ganged up against the South at the primaries.

He said: “What happened was when he realised some aspirants were using money to induce delegates which he believes is not the best for the country; that was why he took such a decision.

“If they accuse Tambuwal of gang-up, what then happened to all the 92 votes from the South-East delegates? Why couldn’t the former Senate President, Pius Anyim, garner up to 20 votes out of 92?”

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