PDP: Atiku, Saraki, Tambuwal fail to reach consensus; Wike's chances brighter

The last minute efforts by some key stakeholders of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to broker a consensus deal among all the northern presidential aspirants have fallen through.

In a meeting held in the early hours of Saturday, May 28, 2022, the northern stakeholders made frantic efforts to convince the aspirants to put forward a common front to bring home the PDP presidential ticket, Daily Trust reported.

However, the gladiators which include former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar, former Senate President, Bukola Saraki, and Governors of Bauchi and Sokoto states, Bala Mohammed and Aminu Tambuwal respectively, rejected all entreaties to ste[ down and endorse one of them.

The only aspirant who acceded to the proposition is the former bank executive, Mohammed Hayatu-Deen, who has since announced his withdrawal from the race.

It was gathered that the leaders envisioned an imminent possibility of Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, clinching the most coveted ticket should the northern contingent failed to present a common front at the convention.

“A lot of them don’t believe Wike can win the general election but as it is it is almost clear that he can coast to victory if the northern candidates didn’t close their ranks,” the source told the newspaper.

Meanwhile, delegates and party stalwarts have continued to make their way into the MKO Abiola Stadium, venue of the PDP presidential convention as accreditation commenced.

The primaries will be contested by 13 aspirants after the former Anambra state Governor, Peter Obi and Hayatu-Deen, pulled out of the race.

Obi has since pitched his tent with the Labour Party whose platform he would seek to contest for the most coveted office in the land next year.