Delegates and potential aspirants have come up for election as the National Party of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, has resolved to go ahead with its presidential primary election today.
The opposition party had earlier held an emergency meeting of its National Working Committee in a bid to examine the likelihood of rescheduling its national convention slated for today.
Some members of the party had argued that the extension of the deadline for the conclusion of party primaries across the country by INEC may have been done to favor APC. An official of the party who has the itinerary of the meeting, Friday night, said “We have strong reasons to believe that the extension was announced by INEC today to allow the APC properly digest the outcome of the PDP’s convention and pick its candidate accordingly.”
However, with many expecting PDP to also postpone their primaries, the opposition party decided to go ahead with the scheduled plan in a last-minute decision.
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The stage is now set for former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar; Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike; his Sokoto State counterpart, Aminu Tambuwal; and a former Senate President, Bukola Saraki, to battle for the PDP ticket.
Other presidential aspirants are Governor Udom Emmanuel of Akwa Ibom State; his Bauchi State counterpart, Bala Mohammed; a former governor of Ekiti State, Ayodele Fayose; a former Senate President, Pius Anyim; Diana Teriela, the only woman in the race; media mogul, Dele Momodu; a pharmacist, Sam Ohuabunwa; Charles Ugwu and Chikwendu Kalu.
Their fates will be decided by 810 party delegates.
However, many believe that a northerner will likely win the PDP ticket because of the advantage in the number of delegates.
The South has 355 LGAs and no fewer than 360 delegates, while the North has 419 LGAs and if the six area councils of Abuja are added the figure comes to 425. That means the North has no fewer than 430 delegates and it may be a big deciding factor.