PDP may ask some presidential aspirants to step down as party opts for indirect primary

Ahead of its 2023 presidential candidate primaries on May 29, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has reportedly settled for indirect primaries to pick its flagbearer for the forthcoming presidential election.

The party is also reportedly looking forward to reducing its 17 presidential aspirants by promoting consensus talks to persuade some of them to step down.

According to a party member, who spoke to Punch, the ongoing talks about consensus are not a ploy by the party to present a single aspirant at its presidential primary.

As it stands, 13 presidential aspirants have obtained forms for the PDP presidential primary.

The aspirants include: Governor Aminu Tambuwal of Sokoto State; a United States-based medical doctor, Nwachukwu Anakwenze; Publisher of Ovation Magazine, Dele Momodu; Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State, Investment banker and economist, Mohammed Hayatu-Deen; former governor of Anambra State, Peter Obi; Governor Udom Emmanuel of Akwa Ibom State; a pharmacist, Sam Ohuabunwa, and former Ekiti governor, Ayo Fayose.

Others are former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, former Senate President, Bukola Saraki, former Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Anyim Pius Anyim, Governor Bala Mohammed of Bauchi State, and Tareila Diana who is the only female presidential aspirant in the party.

However, four of the aspirants, Tambuwal, Mohammed, Saraki, and Hayatu-Deen have been going round the country, consulting and talking to stakeholders to ensure the party presents a consensus candidate.

Commenting on this, Saraki’s media aide, Yusuf Olaniyonu said Saraki’s push for a consensus candidate is not aimed at presenting a candidate at the primary.

He added that the 17 presidential aspirants in the party have to be reduced, saying no serious party that wants to win an election goes to primary with 17 aspirants.

Olaniyonu said, “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.

According to Punch, the option being promoted by the four aspirants as of Sunday had failed as they were unable to convince others to support the idea. 

But a member of the party’s National Working Committee told the newspaper that “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. ”

Meanwhile, former governor of Ekiti, Ayo Fayose had vowed that he won’t step down for any consensus candidate agreed upon by the party.

Fayose said this while faulting the reported plan to jettison zoning by the party, saying the arrangement the party is opting for is undemocratic.