By OUR REPORTER
Update from Sokoto has it that a distinguished banker, Alhaji Sa’idu Umar, who was Secretary to the State Government until recently, has emerged from the primaries held Wednesday as Governorship Candidate of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Sokoto State for the 2023 election.
Umar ascending to the victory followed release of results of the primary election, supervised by Dr Tom Zakari from the party’s national headquarters, at the International Conference Centre, Kasarawa in Sokoto, Wednesday night.
It was concluded at the venue that the former Commissioner for Environment, Alhaji Sagir Bafarawa who was also a contender for the coveted seat, will be the Deputy Governorship Candidate along with Umar.
In the same vein, it was said that the Deputy Governor and Walin Sokoto, Alhaji Manir Muhammad Dan’Iya, also a contender for the position of governor, will be contesting for the Sokoto East Senatorial seat.
Umar polled 695 of the total 755 votes cast by PDP delegates during the primaries.
Other governorship aspirants who ceded their interests for Umar, include former Deputy Governor and Minister of Water Resources, Mukhtar Shagari and the current PDP chairman, Bello Aliyu Goronyo.
Speaking after the exercise, the state Governor, Alhaji Aminu Waziri Tambuwal thanked the delegates for their generally smooth conduct and success of the process.
He also commended the members and leaders of the PDP for their patriotism and loyalty in the processes; and assured that he would work assiduously in order to ensure that the party wins all the seats in the forthcoming general elections in 2023.
Tambuwal also commended the officials from national headquarters of the PDP and staff of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), who conducted and monitored the exercise respectively.
In his address, the party chairman, Goronyo thanked the governor for giving all the necessary support and cooperation to the party.
He congratulated all the winners of primary elections in various seats of the party, and thanked the party supporters for the cooperation towards the successful conduct of the exercise.
The flag bearer, Umar thanked the governor and party supporters in the state for giving him the opportunity to be its representative in the 2023 general elections.
According to him, Tambuwal in the seven years of his administration, had laid the foundation for transformation of the state to the highest level, stressing that his emergence as the PDP candidate in the state showed the great leadership qualities of the governor.
He enumerated the numerous achievements recorded by the current administration including education, youth development, healthcare delivery and agriculture among others.
Umar assured the people of the state that he would continue to improve and maintain what Tambuwal had attained, particularly his legacies of consensus building, team work and inclusiveness.
He also assured party faithful that he would join hands together with the party supporters in order to win the 2023 general elections.
