The Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, will be conducting the screening of seventeen, 17, of its presidential aspirants today. The aspirants had earlier obtained the Expression of Interest, EOI, and Nomination Forms for the party’s presidential convention scheduled for May 28th and 29th, 2022.
However, the decision of the party to screen these presidential aspirants before considering the report of Governor Samuel Ortom Committee on Zoning is creating tension amongst the party stakeholders because those stakeholders in favour of the zoning system are concerned that if this screening is concluded, any further discussions on report of the committee may become an academic exercise.
They further alleged that the National Working Committee, NWC, of the Peoples Democratic Party was unnecessarily causing tension by failing to dispense with the issue of zoning before selling nomination forms and screening of aspirants.
Udenta Udenta, a stakeholder and spokesman of the Bala Mohammed Presidential Campaign Organization, remarked that zoning the presidential ticket from the North to the South without ceding it specifically to the South East would be ‘perfidious’.
He disclosed that one of the presidential aspirants, Atiku Abubakar, said he will not campaign further if the South-South and South-West relinquish their claim and give it to the South East.
The aspirants include former Vice President Atiku Abubakar; a former Secretary to Government of the Federation, SGF, Anyim Pius Anyim; former Senate President, Senator Bukola Saraki; a former Governor of Anambra State and PDP’s Vice Presidential candidate in 2015 elections, Mr Peter Obi; Governor Aminu Tambuwal of Sokoto State; Governor Bala Mohammed of Bauchi State; Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State; Governor Emmanuel Udom of Akwa Ibom State, and a former governor of Ekiti State, Ayodele Fayose.
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The aspirants list also include the Publisher of Ovation Magazine, Dele Momodu; Investment banker Mohammed Hayatu-Deen; Mazi Sam Ohuabunwa, former president, Manufacturing Association of Nigeria, MAN, Mr Nwachukwu Anakwenze; Cosmos Ndukwe; Mr Charles Ugwu; Mr Chikwendu Kalu; and Tareila Diana.
