A Peoples Democratic Party presidential candidate, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, has called for a debate, on the economy, among all the presidential aspirants on the economy.Photo Atiku ? this man looks like a Hitman sha

Abubakar, a former vice-President, made the call after submitting his nomination form at the PDP national secretariat on Tuesday in Abuja.

The Adamawa State- born politician said the economy should be the main issue in the 2011 election campaigns.

“The issue of economic recovery for Nigeria cannot be a matter of wishful thinking nor of rhetoric. It is a subject for rigorous analyses and provision of well-thought, viable, practicable and sustainable strategy,” he said.

Abubakar said that all aspirants must be able to tell Nigerians how they intended to confront the challenges of the economy and reposition it for the benefit of all at the shortest possible time.

He said, “Of all the aspirants that have declared interest in the presidential election, I consider myself the most qualified to address the daunting economic challenges facing the country.

“I am the only one who has successfully managed a business and you need extensive knowledge of the private sector to combine its potential with the authority of the public sector to address this challenge.”

The former vice-president said his approach to resolving the economic crisis in the country was contained in a 47-page Policy Document he presented on August 15, 2010 while announcing his intention to contest the 2011 presidential poll.

He said, “We are faced with a job crisis of monumental proportions. Unless we evolve strategies to dealing with the teeming population of young people churned out almost on a daily basis, we may risk the destruction of the next generation.

“If we fail to channel the energies of this huge population, they could be a potent force for instability and social unrest.”

Abubakar, however, stunned journalists when he said that he was not aware that the President had declared his intention to vie for the PDP ticket.

“I didn’t see it (declaration). Honestly, I didn’t watch it,” he said.

Twenty seven out of the 28 PDP governors were among thousands of people that attended Jonathan’s presidential declaration at the Eagle Square on Saturday in Abuja. The event was shown live by some public and private television stations nationwide.

On the reported move by some politicians to produce a consensus presidential candidate among the Northern aspirants, Abubakar said, “There is a process for the emergence of a consensus candidate in the North. It shows that North is even more united if “they” agree to bring out a consensus candidate.”

He also said he was not aware of the support that Jonathan was getting from the northern states.

Reacting to the challenge, the Presidential Adviser to Jonathan on National Assembly Matters, Senator Mohammed Abba-Aji, said the President was ready for such a debate.

“We are ready for it (debate) anytime. The President has talked about all the aspects of the economy when he declared. If they want more, we are ready for them,” he said.

Another aspirant, who is also the Kwara State Governor, Dr. Bukola Saraki, also expressed readiness for the debate.

“We are ready for the debate. That is what we have been calling for. Without such an issue-based debate, we will not be able to get the best candidate. Saraki is ready for it,” one of the governor’s aides, Mr. Billy Adedamola, said.

AWKA-At exactly 9.09 am Sunday, the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC declared the All Progressives Grand Alliance, APGA candidate and the incumbent governor of Anambra State, Mr. Peter Obi as the winner of Saturday governorship election having scored majority lawful votes of 97,833.

Governor Peter Obi

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Obi who by this victory has earned another four-year mandate, fulfilled the constitutional requirement by winning two-third votes in 14 out of the 21 local government area of the state.

His closest rival, the candidate of Action Congress, AC, Dr. Chris Ngige scored 60,240 votes to emerge second in the keenly contested ballot. He scored 25 percent in three local governments.

However, the highly rated Peoples Democratic Party, PDP Candidate, Professor Chukwuma Soludo came third winning in two local government areas with 59,355 votes. Surprisingly, the former Central Bank Governor lost in his Aguata Local Government to APGA.

Former presidential aide, Dr. Andy Uba of the Labour Party, LP came fourth with 26,106 while former House of Representatives member and Hope Democratic Party, HDP candidate, Prince Nicholas Ukachukwu polled 20,727. Both Uba and Ukachukwu won in only one local government area each.

The only prominent female candidate and House of Representatives member, Hon. Mrs. Uche Ekwunife got 9,595 votes.

Declaring the result of the election, the Resident Electoral Commissioner, REC, Anambra State, Josiah Uwazuruonye, said Obi had satisfied all the constitutional requirements to be elected for a second term of four years.

“I, Bar. Josiah Chukwudi Uwazuruonye hereby certify that I was the Returning Officer for the Anambra State Governorship Election 2010 and that as the Resident Electoral Commissioner for Anambra State, the candidate of APGA Mr. Peter Obi has satisfied the constitutional requirement and is hereby declared winner of the election,” the REC said.

National Chairman of APGA, Chief Victor Umeh, who was elated by the party victory, said the outcome of the election was a reflection of the wishes of the people while commending the electorates and security operatives.

He said: “We feel so happy that after the strenuous struggle to pull the seat of Anambra State down we have been able to do it in a very spectacular way to the glory of God. Like we stated before the only thing Nigeria needs to progress as a democratic country is a credible, free and fair election. And our party APGA has been in the vanguard of this struggle. We are very happy that this morning our involvement in this struggle has yielded the necessary dividends.

“Nigeria is going to move on from this election to greater glory. There is no way we can succeed as a country if we continue to deny the people their inalienable right to elect leaders of their choice and this is the beauty of democracy.

“For me, I will say that the INEC has done well, not just because we have won but because yesterday (Saturday) we were allowed to vote. Anambra State that has had traumatic experience in the past election yesterday did not record any incident of people writing results from their private homes and these results finding their ways to INEC Headquarters for declaration. So, if INEC keeps it this way we would get out of the woods.

“I sincerely thank the Nigeria Police. Before this election yesterday, Anambra State was invaded by thugs hired by desperate candidates in this election and it was an uphill task to maintain peace. The level of security provided by the Nigeria Police the thugs took their heels that was why the election was peaceful. I also thank INEC for having this disposition at this time to allow the people of Anambra State elect governor of their choice.”

Addressing a news conference shortly after results were declared, the Anambra State Election Monitoring and Observation Board praised INEC for the successful conduct of the election.

Chairman of the board, Barrister Ikeazor Akaraiwe, who spoke on behalf of the observers, also commended the security agencies for providing adequate security for the election just as he expressed concern over the late commencement of the election in most centers.

He said: “In spite of laudable action of action of INEC in commencing early distribution of sensitive election materials, voting did not start early in many units. During the board’s pre-election assessment, it expressed the concern on the integrity of the voters’ register. Among our key concerns were the omission of names in the voters’ register and the inclusion of foreign names.

“The board regrets that in spite of our efforts to encourage INEC to deliver a credible voters’ register, the envisaged serious challenges occurred. In many of the wards monitored by this board we observed that unacceptable number of voters did not find their names on the register.”

The Board, however, recommended that INEC should make provision for its transportable during election as against the present practice where party chieftains provided transportation to convey sensitive electoral materials to voting centers.

Noting that the corps members used for the conduct of the election were not indigenes and could not speak the native language of the people and that they were left to operate without adequate instruction on what to do with people with valid voter’s card but whose names could not be found in voters’ register, the Board said there was need for a review of their operation in that regard.

FINAL RESULT OF ANAMBRA GOVERNORSHIP ELECTION RELEASED BY INEC