There are strong indications that the Peoples Democratic Party have settled for indirect primaries to pick its 2023 presidential candidate on May 29.
It was also gathered that the opposition party was looking at ways of reducing its current 17 presidential aspirants by encouraging consensus talks among them so that some of them would step down.
Sources in the party, who spoke to our correspondents on Sunday, said the ongoing consensus talks among some aspirants were not aimed at presenting a single aspirant at the presidential primary of the party.
It was learnt the party had no plan to impose a candidate on members, but it was encouraging talks among intending presidential candidates so that some of them would voluntarily step down to reduce post-primary crises.
As of Sunday, members who had obtained forms for the presidential primary included the Sokoto state Governor, Aminu Tambuwal; a United States-based medical doctor, Nwachukwu Anakwenze; media mogul, Dele Momodu; governor of Rivers State, Nyesom Wike; Investment banker and economist, Mohammed Hayatu-Deen; former governor of Anambra State, Peter Obi; governor of Akwa Ibom State, Udom Emmanuel; a pharmacist, Sam Ohuabunwa, and former Ekiti governor, Ayo Fayose.
Others are former Vice President Atiku Abubakar; a former President of the Senate, Abubakar Bukola Saraki; former Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Anyim Pius Anyim and the Governor of Bauchi State, Bala Mohammed, as well as the only female aspirant in the race, Tareila Diana.
But four of the aspirants—Tambuwal, Mohammed, Saraki and Hayatu-Deen—have been going round the country with aim of ensuring that the party presents a consensus candidate.
There were reports on Sunday that the option being canvassed by the four aspirants had failed as they had not succeeded in convincing others to support the move.
But a member of the party’s National Working Committee, who confided in The PUNCH, stated, “The party is in support of the move by the four aspirants. It is not to force anybody to step down, but to reduce the number of the aspirants we currently have to three or four before May 29 and from all indications, we are going to adopt indirect primary. ”
Consensus not about imposing candidate, but reducing aspirants to manageable number – Saraki’s spokesman
When contacted, Saraki’s media aide, Yusuf Olaniyonu, in an interview with one of our correspondents, said, “He (Saraki) is a party man to the core. Any decision taken by the party on these two issues ( mode of primaries and venue) will be okay by him.
“The fact that he and some others are canvassing consensus candidacy, we have to put it in context. We are not saying consensus candidate means only one person will be presented at the primary.
“All we’re simply saying is that, reduce the number to a manageably low rate. Now 17 people have taken forms. The date of picking forms has not closed. More people will still pick. But you see, any serious party that wants to win an election cannot go to primaries with 17 aspirants. You cannot. It will be difficult for the party to handle. It will make the convention very complex. What we have started canvassing is to reduce the number to a manageable extent.
“Create a situation where the aspirants of their own volition can discuss among themselves, persuade each other, some step down for the other so that the number is tremendously reduced.
“So, that is the purpose of this. You can see, when the APC (All Progressives Congress) was an opposition party in 2015 and was serious about defeating the incumbent, it had so many people who were interested in the Presidency, but essentially, only five people got to the ballot at the Lagos convention.”
“That was what helped them to manage the process effectively. Now, we’re looking at 17 people who have picked forms. The number may go on to 20 because the sale of forms has not closed.
“So, what they’re simply saying is that, reduce the number. Look for four serious aspirants. Let the aspirants meet of their own volition without anybody compelling them to debate among themselves. And say, let’s start the process. Let’s show a good example. Let’s show people that even in Nigeria that you struggle; you need consensus building. In a country that has these kinds of problems…
