PDP Primary: Chidoka Congratulates Atiku Despite Boycotting Party's Convention

By Izunna Okafor, Awka

Former Nigeria's Aviation Minister, Osita Chidoka, has congratulated the former Nigeria's Vice President, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar on his victory as the presidential candidate of the People's Democratic Party (PDP) for the 2023 general election.

In a congratulatory message to Atiku, Chief Chidoka, who was also the Spokesman of Atiku's Presidential Campaign Council during the 2019 presidential election, saluted him for his courage and doggedness, and also described his victory as well-deserved.

“Congratulations to Alhaji Atiku Abubakar for a well-deserved victory. The road was rough, the ride bumpy but you were resolute,” he wrote, adding “I salute your courage and doggedness.”

Recall that, Chief Chidoka, who is a PDP BoT member member and stalwart of the Party, had earlier boycotted the Party's Convention in protest against some alleged irregularities in the Party.

Chidoka, in a statement released prior to the Party's Convention, had accused the Professor Kingsley Chilaka-led National Delegate Congress Committee of submitting fake results for a congress which did not hold in Idemili North Local Government Area of Anambra state.

He said: “For the first time in many years, I will not be attending the PDP Convention. I will watch from my house though I am a member of the Electoral Sub-Committee for the Convention.

“On May 10th a National Delegate Congress Committee chaired by Prof Kingsley Chimsorom Chilaka of Nnamdi Azikiwe University went to Anambra to conduct the congress and did not conduct any congress in Idemili North LGA where I had bought form to contest as a National Delegate. 

“Strangely, the committee submitted a report and fake result for Idemili North LGA with the name of someone that did not purchase the form for the congress. It is time we look into the role of Academics in the corruption in our electoral process. I will follow up on that soon.

“INEC's report clearly stated that they did not observe any election in Idemili North LGA as they were at the venue till 7 pm. I submitted a petition to the Party with a certified copy of the INEC report. I requested the Party to reschedule and conduct the congress in line with the party rules and Electoral Act. 

“I waited till yesterday Friday 27th May for the Party NWC to sit on the petition to no avail instead the Party went ahead and published the name from the fake result as National Delegate. 

“As a loyal Party member who have remained a dedicated and prominent voice of the Party since the Party went into opposition, I have elected to stay away from the convention and will not pursue a legal redress against the party that I have given so much at grave personal risk and cost. 

“I wish the Party a successful convention.”

Chidoka's recent congratulatory message to Atiku, who emerged the flagbearer of the Party, despite boycotting the Convention that produced him, is likened to that of the former Governor of Anambra State and erstwhile presidential aspirant under the PDP, Mr. Peter Obi, who, despite dumping the Party for Labour Party at the eleventh hour, also congratulated Alhaji Atiku on his emergence as the Party's candidate.

Obi, who was the Vice Presidential Candidate under Atiku during the 2019 presidential election, while congratulating Atiku on his Saturday victory, called him “my leader and dear brother”, and also prayed for God’s blessings on him.