PDP primary: Atiku names Iwuanyanwu, Shema, Babangida, Akinjide, Ugochukwu, Dokpesi, Odanye, Udenwa, Orji, 50 others into presidential nomination council

Frontline presidential aspirant of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar, has named Chief Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu and 58 other persons as members of his presidential nomination council ahead of the PDP presidential primaries.
Members of the council drawn from various states are eminent stakeholders in the PDP and are expected to mobilize support from their respective states for the emergence of Atiku as the PDP presidential candidate.

Others on the list are former National Chairmen of PDP, Chief Vincent Ogbulafor and Okwesilieze Nwodo, former Governors Idris Wada, Theodore Orji, Babangida Aliyu, Ibrahim Shema, Achike Udenwa; former Ministers, Prof. Sam Oyovbaire, Oloye Jumoke Akinjide; Senator Ben Murray-Bruce, Akinrogun Tunde Odanye, Chief Raymond Dokpesi, Prof. A.B.C. Nwosu, Chief Onyema Ugochukwu and Emmauel Ibeshi.
Announcing the membership of the council, the Director-General of the Atiku Presidential Campaign Organisation and former Governor of Ogun State, Otunba Gbenga Daniel, said: “The work of this council – as the name connotes – is to mobilise PDP delegates from all the states of the country for Atiku to emerge as the presidential flag-bearer of our great party.
“Of course, when by the grace of God our aspirant becomes the candidate of the PDP, membership into this council will be expanded and more people will be drawn into the council.”
In his remarks, Atiku noted that the struggle for national renewal is usually a difficult one, but it is one that patriots must engaged in if they hope to improve the lives of their compatriots.
“Assembled here today is a diverse group of Nigerians, including experienced political leaders representing all regions and segments of our country. You are all here because you want a better deal for Nigeria and Nigerians. You are here because you are committed to fighting for a better Nigeria, a Nigeria that works.
“Nigerians are yearning for jobs, for opportunities, for unity and security. We must work with them to deliver these. We must also restore truth in politics, justice and fairness in governance, and a genuine federal system that helps us address local priorities and run a more effective and efficient government”, he said.

Responding on behalf of other members of the council, Iwuanyanwu remarked that “we owe the Waziri (Atiku) a huge sense of gratitude for finding us worthy for this national assignment.
“I have been in politics for nearly fifty years, and in all those years, I have never seen our people this poor and I am sad when I see all of these things. My worry and my concern is ‘how do we reverse this situation?’
“The Waziri (Atiku) is somebody I know very well. He has enormous strength and he has what it takes to bring PDP back to power and make life more abundant for our people.
“Therefore, I urge us all as members of this council to see our nomination as a call to national service to rescue our people from the claws of poverty and bad governance.”