2023: PDP Leaders At Loggerheads Over Choice Of Presidential Candidate

The choice of the 2023 presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has reportedly caused a rift between the governors of the party, the National Working Committee (NWC) and the Board of Trustees (BOT).

Naija News had reported that the opposition party jettisoned zoning enshrined in its constitution and threw its presidential ticket open.

According to Daily Trust, the PDP governors are backing one of their own to emerge as the party’s presidential candidate, while the NWC and the BOT are looking outside the governors’ forum for the flagbearer.

It was learned that the issue has pitched the various organs at each other’s throats ahead of the presidential primary, slated for May 28 and 29.

A party source said: “The party is working to reduce the number of aspirants before the primaries, nothing is certain for now, but the leadership does not want all the 15 aspirants to contest.

“Definitely, on their own, some of the aspirants might even step down and join forces with those they feel might have a brighter chance of winning the election.

“The main challenge now is how to zero in. The governors are rooting for one of their own to clinch the ticket of the party. But the NWC and the BOT are not in support of the governors.”

Meanwhile, the PDP Board of Trustee Chairman, Walid Jibrin, said there is a high possibility that the party’s presidential candidate may emerge through a consensus arrangement.

Jibrin stated this while briefing newsmen at the PDP secretariat in Lafia, Nasarawa State.