2023: Atiku, other Northern aspirants win as Ortom c’ttee throws PDP presidential ticket open

 

.Party ‘ll give Nigeria  credible consensus candidate-Makinde

.As Saraki, Tambuwal, others visit Gov

.I’ve the capacity to salvage Nigeria, says Wike

 

 

Obiora Ifoh, Abuja

 

The Samuel Ortom-led committee on zoning has finally adopted to throw the race for the People’s Democratic Party, PDP presidential race open to all the contestants.

 

This development will come as a reprieve to some of the aspirants from the North who had feared the party will favour the South had it obeyed the zoning arrangement enshrined in the constitution of the party.

 

Among the northern aspirants include former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar, former President, Bukola Saraki and the duo of Governor Aminu Tambuwal and Bala Mohammed,  governors of Sokoto and Bauchi State respectively.

 

Recall that a 37-man committee was set up by the National Executive Committee, NEC, of the party at its 95th meeting, with a mandate to recommend to the party whether to zone the 2023 Presidential ticket or not, among other elective offices.

 

With members drawn from the 36 states of the federation and the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, the party argues that the committee would come up with a position acceptable to its membersparticularly in the zoning of elective offices.

 

Addressing newsmen at the end of the meeting of the committee held Tuesday at the Benue Governor’s lodge, Asokoro, Abuja, Benue state governor, Samuel Ortom said, “by the Grace of God, we have unanimously adopted a position that will be sent to the NEC of our party that appointed us.

 

“The good news for teaming supporters of the PDP and Nigerians is that we have resolved and everyone of us-the 37 members,  unanimously adopted the position that we are going to present to NEC.”

 

Our correspondent however gathered the committee would on Thursday urge NEC to throw the Presidential race open to all Nigerians irrespective of their zones of origin.

 

Some of its recommendations include the “affirmation of zoning as provided in the PDP constitution; ticket is thrown open, this time around due to exigency of time; Our party is encouraged to always make the issue of zoning very clear at least 6 months before sales of forms; our party should commend the efforts of some our contestants on the issue of concensus candidacy; the efforts should be seen to a peaceful and logical conclusion.”

 

In 2019, the party zoned its Presidential ticket to the North, arguing that the zone needed to complete its slot following the death on May 5, 2010 of President Umaru Yar’ Adua who spent two years and 11 months only in office. As a result, 12 Northern aspirants gathered in Port Harcourt for the 2018 won by former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar.

 

Party chieftains from the South have argued that in the spirit of equity, the favour should be returned this time to the South. However founding fathers of the party including Atiku and ex-Jigawa state governor, Sule Lamido continue to insist that as an opposition party, the PDP would dim it’s chances if it exclude a section of the country out of the Presidential race.

 

Meanwhile, former governor of Ekiti state, Ayodele Fayose has resigned his membership of the zoning committee.

 

In a letter sent to Gov. Ortom before the commencement of the meeting, Fayose premised reason for his resignation on his decision to join the PDP Presidential race.

 

“Having hinted during our last meeting of my intention to run for the Office of the President in the coming primary election and by God’s grace, the general election, it will not be morally right to continue to participate in the zoning debate being an aspirant myself.

 

“Therefore, my state has nominated the bearer of this letter, Dr Gbenga Faseluka to replace me,” the letter read in part.

 

At the meeting were Governors Darius Ishaku, Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Taraba and Enugu states respectively; ex-governors Ahmed Makarfi (Kaduna), Boni Haruna (Adamawa), Ibrahim Shema (Katsina) and Sule Lamido (Jigawa).

 

Others were former Information Minister, Prof. Jerry Gana, erstwhile Minister of Special Duties and InterGovernmental Relations, Tanimu Turaki and Chairman, PDP Disciplinary Committee, Chief Tom Ikimi, among others.

 

Meanwhile, Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde said on Tuesday that the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for the 2023 election would be someone that has everybody’s buy-in.

The governor, who was speaking while receiving leading presidential hopefuls of the party, who paid him a visit at the Government House, Agodi, Ibadan, said that the party would ensure the presidential candidate emerges through a consensus arrangement.

Makinde, who received the team of presidential aspirants including former President of the Senate, Dr. Abubakar Bukola Saraki, Governor of Sokoto State, Hon. Aminu Tambuwal, the Governor of Bauchi State, Senator Bala Mohammed, and foremost economist and banker Mohammed Hayatudeen, said that stakeholders in the PDP would work hand-in-hand to ensure the consensus option pulls through.

A statement by the Chief Press Secretary to the governor, Mr. Taiwo Adisa, indicated that the governor pledged to work with the aspirants to ensure that the PDP picks a consensus presidential candidate.

He appreciated the presidential aspirants for coming up with the consensus idea and noted that the party will work together to give to Nigeria, a president through a process that has “everybody’s buy-in.”

He said: “I want to really thank you my senior colleagues for this visitation. We have discussed behind closed doors the issue of the consensus arrangements we are trying to put together. We did it at the last convention of our party, and that was the first time the PDP was able to achieve bringing in a National Chairman for the party through a consensus arrangement.

“We believe we can do it and we also believe that Nigerians will take this party seriously when they know that we are all working together to give to them a president through a process that has everybody’s buy-in; where there is no rancour among the stakeholders. So, I promise my elder brothers that we will work hand in hand to ensure that this consensus arrangement is successful.

“I have also said that, internally, we will ensure that people understand what we are trying to do. And where there is any iota of doubt or confusion. We will put a mechanism in place where it will get addressed almost immediately as we move along.”

The statement equally quoted Senator Saraki, who spoke on behalf of the team as saying that the team of presidential hopefuls was in Ibadan to brief Governor Makinde on the plan for a consensus candidate among the aspirants.

Saraki said, “We are here this afternoon to meet the governor of Oyo State, who is a key stakeholder of our party. We have been going around and we have to come and brief him on the idea of the consensus arrangement that we are trying to do together.

“We have looked at the country today- the hardship and insecurity, which our people are going through, and it is clear that it is only our party, PDP, that can provide a brighter future for this country. But we think we ourselves must be ready for government in 2023, by uniting ourselves and being focused.

“This must not be about our individual interests but that of Nigerians. Of course, we all have our individual interests to become the president but we have decided in our meetings that we are ready to subject ourselves to a consensus arrangement. It is not just for one part of the country but for the PDP as a party. Even, whoever emerges cannot rebuild this country by himself will need the support of everybody and we want the foundation to start from that process, and that is why we are here.

“We all know that Governor Makinde is a great party member, who has worked very hard for this party and we have come to carry him along to address some of these concerns because without the opportunity of him knowing what we are doing, it will be wrong for us to assume he understands the reason behind it.

“As usual, we had a very useful meeting with him and he has added his ideas, value, and commitment. We know he has no interest more than the interest of how Nigeria can be better and we too don’t have any other interest. So, we thank Your Excellency for receiving us.

“We were in Asaba yesterday (Monday) and I read about a particular mischievous article. This is not about who gets what but the insecurity and hardship of this country. How do we make life better for everyone and how can we work as a team? That is what we are here for.”

However, Rivers State governor, Nyesom Ezenwo Wike has declared that he has the capacity and energy required to serve and salvage Nigeria as its president come 2023.

Governor Wike made the declaration at Gombe State when he visited leaders and faithful of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) as part of ongoing consultation ahead of the party’s presidential primary election.

Addressing stakeholders at the PDP secretariat in Gombe, the State capital, the governor urged them not to waste their votes as delegates at the party’s  presidential convention on candidates who cannot win the 2023 general election.

“If you want PDP to win election in 2023 I have made myself available. Give me the ticket, let me go and take the power for you. We are talking about who can take this power from APC (All Progressives Congress). That person is me.”

Governor Wike pointed out that people are free to visit Rivers State to see what his administration has done out of love and passion for the upliftment of the socioeconomic status of the people.

The governor stated the need to rescue Nigeria from dying and it required men of courage who love this country to do the work.

“We need to salvage this country. Let us not pretend about it. Insecurity does not know religion. Insecurity does not know ethnicity. Poverty does not know ethnicity. Poverty does not know religion.

“The people who come to kill us, do they look at who is a Christian? Do they look at who is a Moslem? Do they know who is Hausa-Fulani? Do they know who is Igbo? We are dying.

“So, it is not for sentiment. It is not for people to come and tell you, look, it must come from here, no, no. It is for those who have the capacity. If given the opportunity, I will replicate what I’ve done in Rivers State as President of Nigeria.”

 

Speaking further, governor Wike berated the APC led Federal Government for the many lies they kept telling Nigeria concerning improving the  agricultural fortune of the country.

Governor Wike said the incoming PDP government will not tell Nigerians lies, make excuses for failure but will work to genuinely improve the life of Nigerians across the country.

“They said they have given over N300b for agriculture. I have no problem with that. Even if they have spent N1trillion, where is the food?

I don’t want people going to buy rice and doing pyramid. I want to see to it that agriculture is working.”

Governor Wike noted that APC leaders have accepted that their government has failed and it sets the coast for PDP to reclaim the power and country back to Nigerians.

The governor said the insistence of some public office holders to hire mercenaries to fight bandits and terrorists overrunning the country is worrisome.

“And you have a president staying there, the security chiefs are there, and somebody is saying you must bring in mercenaries. You have seen it that the government has collapsed.

“I’m not the one who said so. Malam Nasir Ahmad El-Rufai said the government has collapsed. Not me, not you, but APC has admitted that their government has collapsed. The Minster of Transportation said the government did not give him money that was why the bombing of the train happened.”

In his remark, the former Gombe State governor, Dr Ibrahim Hassan Dankwambo, commended Governor Wike for visiting the state to formally acquaint PDP stakeholders of his presidential ambition.

Dankwambo, who acknowledged Governor Wike’s excellent performance in office, assured him of Gombe state support if he clinches the presidential ticket.

Power comes from God. God gives power to whom he wants. He takes power from whom he wants. We will contribute to PDP to takeover power. But at the appropriate time, whoever emerges the candidate will sit down with Gombe people and discuss. We will negotiate. We will not be taken for granted this time around. We will work for you, we will work for whoever emerges as candidate of the party under our mutually agreed pact.

On his part, Gombe State Chairman of PDP, General Abnor Kwaskwabe (rtd) said Governor Wike is a man of integrity, an impeccable leader, a bridge builder, a unifier of men, and whose interest  in politics is for public good.

“This is a man that has touched the lives of Nigerians across the six geo-political zones. This is the man when one of the Northern States had fire in their market, nobody came to their rescue except, His Excellency, the Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Ezenwo Wike.”