Ahead of this month end’s national convention of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), 15 aspirants seeking to nick its presidential ticket have intensified their efforts to capture the majority of the voting delegates for the exercise.
After meeting the National leadership of the party led by Dr Iyorchia Ayu, to seek their support, the aspirants have since commenced a nationwide tour to plead with delegates to support them to clinch the ticket.
They have been selling their credentials and pushing to have the support of enough delegates to become the flag bearer of the main opposition party amid talks that it may yet adopt the consensus option.
All the politicians have expressed the hopes that from their interactions with the delegates, they are the preferred choice of most voters.
However, many presidential hopefuls have already indicated that they will abide by the decision of the party including a consensus that is based on equity, justice and fairness.
This is as the state governors among presidential aspirants as said to be tightening their grips on their state delegates while the non-PDP states have become the battleground as all the aspirants scramble to make inroads in such states.
“Without a governor to determine how state delegates should vote, it is easier for the aspirants to break into the states that are not controlled by the PDP. Such state delegates will be the ones to determine who becomes the presidential candidate of the PDP,” a party source affirmed on Thursday in Abuja.
It comes against the background of the division among the PDP governors who are not in the race for the ticket, some of whom are said to have aligned with Governor Udom Emmanuel of Akwa Ibom State following a meeting in Abuja on Wednesday.
Emmanuel has also secured the endorsement of the Inter-Party Presidential Consensus Forum (IPCF) which has called for him to be considered as the consensus candidate of the PDP.
The group has also called on other aspirants from the north to jettison their ambitions for a southerner to emerge in the interest of national peace, justice, equity and fairness.
According to the National Coordinator of the group, Abubakar Danladi, there is a widespread preference for the governor judging by the outcome of the nationwide consultations he has held.
He said in a statement on Thursday: “We have conducted a series of surveys and reviews among Nigerians with Permanent Voters Card (PVCs) and the result shows that most Nigerians support for a younger leader as well as power-shift to the Southern parts of the country citing national peace, equity, justice and rapid development as major reasons.
“Our surveys showed that more Nigerians preferred the Governor of Akwa Ibom State, Emmanuel Udom, because of his personal composure, proven capacity to ensure national unity and stimulate human capital and infrastructural development in critical sectors.
“The survey also reflected on Governor Emmanuel’s ability to establish and successfully manage highly specialized ventures including the Ibom Air, Ibom Deep Sea Port, Ibom Industrial Park/Jetty as well as power, refinery projects, gas processing plants and top-class health facilities which show that with his type of leadership our nation can indeed achieve success in such critical areas.”
Danladi disclosed that the IPCF will send a delegation to the PDP leadership with a report on the acceptability and electoral worth of the party’s presidential aspirants among Nigerians to guide the main opposition party ahead of the national convention.
Meanwhile, the Chairman of the PDP 2023 National Convention Organizing Committee, Senator David Mark, has urged party faithful across the country to imbibe the spirit of sportsmanship in the conduct of the exercises.
In a statement issued by his media aide, Paul Mumeh, ahead of the party primaries, which begin with the election of candidates for the state Houses of Assembly seats this Saturday, the former President of the Senate, urged party men and women to comply with the rules of the game.
He said: “The Party has clear guidelines and rules for the exercises. Every aspirant should be guided by the processes. The party will not compromise any of the rules.”
Mark counselled delegates to the congresses and conventions to consider the integrity and past accomplishments of aspirants in order to make informed choices of candidates for the elections.
“In making your decisions, consider the interest of the people. Politics is a conveyor belt to serve humanity. The greater interest of our people is paramount, Senator Mark advised,” Mark added.
He cautioned against politics of acrimony, bitterness or violence saying “see politics as a sporting competition. If you don’t win today, you can win tomorrow.”
He assured of a level playing field for all aspirants, saying whoever emerges from the open and transparent elections must be the choice of the people.
The former Senate President urged aspirants and their supporters alike to refrain from combative or inflammatory statements to avoid unnecessary provocation, even as he expressed confidence that the party will produce the best candidates for the elections in 2023.
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