…party commits aspirants to peace accord
- Some aspirants likely to step down at convention ground
About 3, 619 delegates of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) from 36 states of the country and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) are already in Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital, to elect the party’s presidential candidate for the 2019 presidential election. The delegates will choose the best among the 12 aspirants who will square up against President Muhammadu Buhari and other presidential aspirants. President Buhari emerged the candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) after the party’s direct primaries across the states, earlier in the week and will be confirmed by affirmation at APC’s special National Convention holding in Abuja today.
Those cleared to contest the PDP presidential primary, are President of the Senate Bukola Saraki, former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar, Sokoto State Governor, Aminu Tambuwal and his Gombe State counterpart, Ibrahim, Dankwambo. Also in the race are the former Jigawa State governor, Alhaji Sule Lamido, his Kano and Sokoto state counterparts, Senator Musa Rabiu Kwankwaso and Attahuri Bafarawa respectively, as well as former President of the Senate, Senator David Mark. Others are former Chairman of National Caretaker Committee, Senator Ahmed Makarfi, former Minister of Special Duties, Kabiru Tanimu Turaki, Proprietor of Baze University, Senator Datti Ahmed and former Plateau State governor, Senator Jonah Jang. Stanley Osiofo, the only Southerner, who picked the PDP nomination form was screened out of the contest by the screening committee headed by former Vice President Namadi Sambo. No reason was given for that. A source, however, said some of the aspirants might step down at convention ground.
“I don’t see all of them going into the convention. Some aspirants are likely going to step down. We don’t know the number yet but such thing has happened before,” he said. According to the source, the race may be narrowed down to four aspirants; Saraki, Atiku, Tambuwal and Kwankwaso. Incidentally, they were all returnees to the party against the demand by “loyal aspirants” that the party should reward loyalty.
But the source said the ‘loyal aspirants’ lack the financial muscle and the contacts if given the ticket. The aspirants have been traversing the country canvassing for delegates’ support since they declared their intention. According to the source, unlike what was the case in the past, PDP governors are not united in support of one aspirant. Yesterday, the party leadership committed all the aspirants to peace accord. PDP National Chairman, Prince Uche Secondus, who spoke shortly before handing over the document to the aspirants, said they had agreed to support whoever wins the ticket. Saraki, Tambuwal, Lamido, Baba Ahmed, Tanimu Turaki and Bafarawa, were present at the signing ceremony.
Secondus pledged to deliver a free, fair and transparent primary. PDP National Publicity Secretary, Kola Ologbondiyan, said on Thursday that accreditation of delegates would be done at the venue of the convention, Adokie Amesiemeka Stadium, and not at the hotel as was the case in the past.
new telegraph
