SAN FRANCISCO, September 07, (THEWILL) – The board of trustees (BoT) of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has asked its members not to campaign for any presidential aspirant.
The BoT took the decision not to back any of the aspirants at its meeting in Abuja on Thursday saying members of the board ought not to forget their role as conscience of the party.
Chairman of the Board, Senator Walid Jibrin, who spoke with journalists after the meeting, also said that the Board would look at the possibility of pruning the number of the aspirants.
“If you are a member of BoT, you remain the conscience of the party and you should not be moving about with any aspirant,” he said.
“If we are really the conscience of the party, we should not move about with aspirants. That was what happened during the last national convention when we elected the national chairman.
“Some of us went and pitched camps with aspirants, taking them all over the place. This time, we will not allow that to happen.
“Anyone of us who moves about with any aspirant should resign from the BoT. We are the ones that will settle the complaints. But if we are involved, then it will not be fair. So we have told our members not to campaign with the aspirants because we are also the delegates.”
Jibrin, however, made it clear that PDP would not force any of the aspirants to withdraw from the race.
“We are recommending that we have to manage the situation very well to ensure that it does not lead to crisis. The presidential aspirants are 13 in number so we are trying our best to ensure a reduction in the number,” he said.
“But we are not going to force anybody to withdraw from the race, as consultations among party elders are still ongoing. We are going to bring out a committee that will work in the best interest of Nigerians.
“We are forming a committee to meet with the aspirants. After that we will decide on what to do. We have decided to form a special committee to advise the National Working Committee (NWC) of the party.
“We are ready to confront all the rigging that happened in the last convention and to ensure free and fair elections during the upcoming presidential primaries. There should be no impunity. There should be no godfatherism.”
The party presently has about 13 aspirants jostling for its sole presidential ticket.
The aspirants are a former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar; Senate President, Bukola Saraki; a former Governor of Kano State, Senator Rabiu Kwankwaso; Governor of Sokoto State, Aminu Tambuwal; Governor of Gombe State, Ibrahim Dankwambo and a former Governor of Sokoto State, Attahiru Bafarawa.
Also in the race are a former Minister of Special Duties and Inter-Governmental Relations, Alhaji Kabiru Turaki (SAN); a former Governor of Kaduna State, Senator Ahmed Makarfi; a former Governor of Kano State, Ibrahim Shekarau; a former Governor of Plateau State, Jonah Jang and Dr. Datti Baba-Ahmed, amongst others.
