By Akinwunmi King
As February 18, 2023, date for the Presidential election draws near, the main opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has tentatively fixed the 28 and 29 day of May, for its presidential primaries.
To show its readiness for the election, the PDP, a few days ago, screened all its 17 aspirants at the Legacy House, PDP presidential campaign office. At the completion of the screening exercise, two aspirants, whose names were withheld, were disqualified from the contest.
However, as it was gathered, from the remaining 15 aspirants that were cleared by the screening committee, only three may likely be going into the party’s presidential primary.
Unlike the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) where the number of presidential aspirants continues to grow by the day, the opposition PDP has already concluded formalities on those that will contest in the primaries following the successful screening of the aspirants by the screening panel led by former Senate President David Mark.
The original 17 aspirants included Atiku Abubakar, Abubakar Bukola Saraki, Bala Mohammed, Aminu Tambuwal, Mohammed Hayatu-Deen, Anyim Pius Anyim, Peter Obi, Sam Ohuabunwa, Nyesom Wike, Udom Emmanuel, Ayodele Fayose, Dele Momodu, Olivia Tarela, who is the only female among them; Charles Okwudili, Chikwendu Kalu and Cosmos Ndukwe.
With less than three weeks to the national convention where the delegates will cast their votes for their preferred aspirant who end up flying the party’s flag, sources at the weekend claimed that top party elders, leaders and decision makers in the leading opposition party have embarked on careful scrutinizing of the pack, and the general opinion among these opinion leaders is that only three of the remaining 15 aspirants, have the chance of becoming presidential candidate and flying the party’s flag in next February’s election.
The belief among these stakeholders and opinion leaders in the PDP is that out of the remaining 15 aspirants, there are only three who possess the popularity and influence to win in the general election. These aspirants also have the financial muscle to challenge any candidate that emerged from the APC.
Speaking with Daily Independent correspondent, a member of the party’s Board of Trustees (BoT), who pleaded anonymity, said the top three names being considered are Atiku, Saraki and Wike.
According to him, PDP stakeholders in their analysis believe that even though Bauchi State governor, Bala Mohammed emerged alongside Saraki as consensus candidate of the PDP, he may in the long run step down to seek re-election so as to enable him serve a second term as governor which is more realistic.
“The elders pointed that Mohammed had given the indication of his likely dropping off from the race when he said he would not pursue his presidential ambition to the end if President Goodluck Jonathan is contesting. No serious presidential candidate desirous of winning will say that.
“The governor already knows that it is good for him to go back and consolidate his achievements in Bauchi. He is believed to have taken the gubernatorial form by proxy, through one of his commissioners.”
On why Governor Tambuwal was not considered among the first three aspirants, Daily Independent learnt that the presidential ambition of the Sokoto State governor is not really flying, even in the North, and among serious PDP leaders.
The source who spoke with our correspondent said, “First, many of the Northern elders were not happy the way he tried to rubbish them over the consensus arrangement after he joined Mohammed, Saraki and Hayatu-Deen in inviting the elders to arbitrate on the choice of the consensus candidate, only to back out when it was clear he would not win.
“His efforts to paint the elders black has seriously backfired and diminished his rating by the elders.
“Aside being a former Speaker of the House of Representatives and current chairman of the PDP Governors’ Forum, Tambuwal is not popular in most parts of the North, not to talk of the Southern part.
“Also, for the same reason he was not selected as consensus candidate, the PDP…
