Nigeria’s biggest opposition party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on Sunday elected former vice president, Atiku Abubakar as its candidate for next year’s presidential election.
Abubakar, 71 won the presidential primary race which took place in Port Harcourt in Rivers state.
He beat other candidates including Senate president, Senator Bukola Saraki.
Atiku will now pose the biggest threat to Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari re-election bid next year.
A major ally of the President Buhari, Abubakar announced his decision to join PDP last year.
He quit the ruling All Progressive Congress (APC) to re-joined a party he left four years ago.
President Buhari, 75 is struggling to deal with his country’s economic crisis as millions remain jobless. He has also failed to deal with ethnic clashes and the insurgency of militant group Boko Haram.
President Buhari in May told party supporters that that he is “not in politics for fun, frivolity or to amass wealth. I have always been driven by a deep sense of commitment to make a difference in the lives of our people.”
President Buhari has contested for president in 2003, 2007 and 2011 but only became successful and 2015.
Nigeria’s Buhari picked by ruling party for 2019 re-election
Source: Africafeeds.com
