LEON USIGBE writes that presidential hopeful under the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) have turned up their game a notch with the conclusion of the last elective national convention.
The much-anticipated elective national convention of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has come and gone without any major mishap. The main opposition party now has a new National Working Committee (NWC) that will assume office come December 9. With the successful conduct of the national convention, the attention of its major stakeholders has shifted to 2023 – the process of selecting its presidential candidate for the poll.
Even though the party is yet to determine where the flagbearer will come from given its well-entrenched zoning policy, well known party chieftains, some of whom are perennial presidential titans, have begun their moves with minimal patience to tarry for the final pronouncement on the zoning formula. They are encouraged by the turn of events so far including the effort of the Bukola Saraki-led National Reconciliation and Strategy Committee in repositioning the party ahead of the 2023 general elections, the submission of the report of the PDP 2019 Election Review Committee led by Governor Bala Mohammed of Bauchi state, recommending that the presidential flag bearer in the 2023 election should be chosen through a merit-based system, and the emergence of a Christian, Benue state-born Professor Iyorchia Ayu, as the new national chairman of the party.
Of all the factors, the Mohammed committee’s recommendation holds the key to who becomes the presidential candidate of the party in 2023. For the purpose clarity, the argument the Bauchi governor made while presenting the report to the erstwhile national chairman, Prince Uche Secondus in March was that valid arguments exist that the northeast or the southeast should be given strong consideration because they are the geo-political zones with the shorted stint in power till date. But on the other hand, he stressed the need for the PDP to conduct a credible national presidential primary as he maintained that there are capable individuals all around the country who can provide Nigeria the required leadership to pull it out of the present quagmire.
His words: “In line with certain unwritten conventions of the nation’s history, many people think that for fairness and equity, the northeast and the southeast geo-political zones that have had the shortest stints at the Presidency should be given special consideration in choosing the presidential flag bearer of the party in 2023 election. While we admit this is a very strong argument, we should not lose sight of the fact that Nigeria is endowed with many capable and very experienced leaders in every part of the country. Moreover, the exigencies of the moment demand that nothing should be compromised in choosing the leader with the attribute to disentangle the country from the present quagmire. Therefore, we think that every Nigerian from every part of the country should be given the opportunity to choose the best candidate through a credible primary election as a way of institutionalizing a merit-based leadership recruitment process for the country and for the party.”
The PDP National Executive Committee (NEC) was supposed to act on the Mohammed committee’s report and possibly settle the question of zoning before the last national convention. This did not happen. Instead, it set up a committee on zoning of the NWC offices without the mandate to dabble into the offices of the president, vice president, and principal officers of the national assembly. The Mohammed report is, therefore, yet to be adopted.
There are some suggestions that the opposition party had not taken a stance on the zoning of its presidential ticket because it wants to keep the ruling All Progressive Congress (APC) guessing. That notwithstanding, the signal is that the PDP is looking up north for its 2023 presidential candidate, hence the preponderance of aspirants from the region tussling in this early stage to get a head start.
Former vice president, Atiku Abubakar; chairman of the PDP Governors Forum and governor of Sokoto state, Aminu Tambuwal; governor Bala Mohammed of Bauchi state; former governor of Jigawa state, Sule Lamido; former govrmor of Kaduna state, Ahmed Makarfi; former governor of Kano state, Rabiu Kwankwaso; former senate president, Saraki; former Gombe state governor, Ibrahim Dankwabo, and former minister of special duties, Tanimu Turaki are some of the most prominent northern PDP members who have apparently thrown their hats into the race. From the south, former senate president, Ayim Pius Ayim and former senior special assistant to the president on public affairs, Dr. Doyin Okupe, have also feebly indicated that they will contest the presidential ticket.
The potential presidential aspirants used the opportunity provided by the last elective national convention in to engage in early test of popularity as they bid to gain early advantage ahead of the 2023 poll. They all tried to make statements with their visibility to the delegates at the Eagle Square, Abuja venue of the event. In and around the arena were flooded with posters canvassing their candidacy for 2023 as hired musicians sang their praises at different corners of the venue. Some of the party chieftains ensured that they made grand entry with their supporters in an apparent bid to convince delegates that they are more popular. Atiku supporters cheered loudly as he delivered his address while Kwankwaso came late to the arena with hundreds of supporters who disrupted the ongoing event with their drumming and singing as organizers had a hard time trying to get them to settle down.
Except the two southerners, Ayim and Okupe, the presidential hopefuls have not made formal declarative statements of intent, but with the aspirants’ tacit support, their surrogates have fanned out everywhere – the media, religious and political gatherings, among others, vehemently canvassing support for their candidates.
It is unlikely that the PDP will reach a decision soon on whether to stick to its constitutionally prescribed zoning arrangement. It seems that task of accepting or rejecting the Mohammed committee’s recommendation on zoning will be left with the incoming NWC to facilitate. However, the emergence of its national chairman from the north central and national secretary from the southeast, is a strong pointer to the fact that the opposition party is preparing grounds for a northern Muslim presidential candidate. Therefore, one of the northern candidates that are now working towards 2023 may have a realistic chance of nicking the coveted ticket.
The PDP believes that it is has never been in a better shape to return to power than now as it constantly drums home the alleged incompetence of the APC in government. Yet, the main opposition party says it is under no illusion that it has little margin for error, that picking a wrong presidential candidate for the election will amount to kissing the 2023 presidential election.
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