By Henry Umoru

ABUJA—NATIONAL Publicity Secretary of  the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Chief Olisa Metuh, Thursday, said that Nigerians have voted the late literary icon, Professor Chinua Achebe as the Nigerian patriot whose selflessness inspired many since independence.

His nomination, according to Metuh, in the social media sponsored promo entitled, The Nigeria Patriot Search and powered by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), received the highest number of votes.

Announcing the winner in the strongly contested competition, Chief Olisa Metuh, said the exercise was among others, designed to search for the most patriotic Nigerian whose selflessness inspired many Nigerians since independence and to engage Nigerians in a soul searching to immortalize Nigerian citizens that have positively impacted on the society.

Metuh in the statement said that Mr. Destiny Young, a senior architect at Centre Point Technologies at Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, who nominated Achebe has emerged winner of the promo that ran on the PDP official facebook page (officialpeoplesdemocraticparty) April 17 to May 15, 2013.

He said: “We initiated this promo with the objective to identify that Nigerian whose selflessness is worth emulating and who should be seen as a hero by every Nigerian. This is part of a re-orientation campaign we have initiated towards our goal of sustaining national unity. I wish to congratulate Mr. Young Destiny as the winner of this contest and also appreciate every Nigerian who took part in this exercise.”

The promo which ended on Wednesday at 6.00 pm, attracted many comments and “likes” and was shared by a lot of Facebook users. The person whose comment had the highest number of “likes” was to be declared the winner and have an opportunity of meeting and having dinner with a PDP Governor or Minister of their choice.

Metuh observed that the exercise was completely transparent and that the winner emerged based on automatic on-line and real time counting by Facebook which eliminated any form of participation or interference by the organizers.

He also congratulated the runner-ups which includes Musa Mikaya who nominated Gen. Yakubu Gowon; Toba Owojaiye, who nominated General Theophilus Danjuma as well as Miss Nonye Amaliri, who nominated the General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, Pastor Enoch Adeboye, to emerge the only lady on the first four runners-up.

The PDP spokesman urged Nigerians, especially the youth to take advantage of the PDP social media platforms including the party’s facebook and twitter accounts as well as its website to participate in national discourse and to get information on the activities of the party.