PDP primaries: Bafarawa flays consensus

FORMER Sokoto State governor and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), presidential aspirant, Dr Attahiru Bafarawa has described consensus as anti-democratic.

Speaking in Benin yesterday at the Edo state PDP secretariat during his consultation with party leaders ahead of the October 2018 National Convention of the party, Bafarawa argued that instead of resulting to consensus, people should be allowed to chose who governs and represent them at all levels of political positions.

The PDP presidential hopeful warned against vote buying during the convention, noting that a large number of the party’s presidential aspirants was a clear demonstration that the party was waxing stronger.

He disclosed that all the aspirants have all agreed to support whoever emerges as the presidential flag bearer

He said that all the aspirants have already agreed to work with whoever emerges from the pack, noting that they were united in the removal of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) led Federal government out of power in 2019.

Bafarawa said: “Forget the number of aspirants. The number of aspirants showed that the party is growing big and the only party in the country. Forget limited and liability party but ours is Public limited company (Plc). So, you expect the shareholders to be many.

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“The number of aspirants is not something to fear and worry about. We are together. We are united and our main common objective is to get APC out of power because it is a disaster.

“If we allow the party to remain in power in the next four years I believe there will be no Nigeria. We want to unite our country, and therefore, we the aspirants have already united ourselves for a common goal.”

On the issue of consensus, the presidential candidate hopeful opined that since all the aspirants have collected forms, there should be no moral justification for the party not to go for indirect primary.

He said: “we are not going to change our constitution. Consensus is for APC but ours is indirect primary. Since the party has sold forms to all the aspirants because we are all qualified, and there is nobody the party can say is not qualified.

“It is now left for the party’s delegates to decide. Once the delegates decide there is nothing anybody can do.”

He, however, promised to initiate programmes to rerun the country to enviable position of African economic hub and global player in international relations and diplomacy, overhaul education, health, economy, agriculture, infrastructure, Defence and security among others he emerged the president of the country.

The State Chairman, Chief Dan Orbih said that the state’s delegates will join comity of states that will ensure that the best aspirant emerged the party’s presidential flag bearer.