Despite taking PDP votes in south-east, south-south, Obi couldn’t have won – Atiku Insists

Despite taking PDP votes in south-east, south-south, Obi couldn’t have won – Atiku Insists

…Says Obi needs votes from other parts of the country

The presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar, has said the party is open to forming an alliance with the Labour Party (LP).

Abubakar who spoke on Thursday at a press conference in Abuja, admitted that the PDP lost a considerable number of votes to Peter Obi, the LP presidential candidate in Saturday’s election.

“It is a fact that he took our votes from the south-east and the south-south — that of course would not make him a president,” he said.

“You all know that to be a president in this country you all need votes from everywhere. So as far as I am concerned, Peter is welcome to dialogue with PDP — we are ready to dialogue with him.

“I don’t think we will have any problem if he wants to dialogue with PDP — either form an alliance or not.”

The former vice-president said Obi left the party and joined the LP after governors in the PDP insisted that someone among them must be the standard-bearer, and vice presidential candidate.

He said instead of leaving the party, he “stood and fought the governors” and won the party’s presidential ticket.

“I think Peter was in a rush (to leave),” he said.

“Peter got scared and left. I did not get scared. I stood up against the governors.

“When we formed the PDP some of them (PDP governors) were perhaps in secondary schools or the university.

“So if he (Obi) was there, nothing could have stopped him from becoming a running mate because I had the right to choose whoever I wanted to choose as my running mate.”