Atiku, Wike, Saraki, others battle for 3,700 delegates

The destiny of the 15 presidential candidates in the Peoples Democratic Party will be decided by 3,700 delegates (PDP).

If President Muhammadu Buhari signs the modified Section 84(8) of the Electoral Act before the primary on May 29-30, the number of delegates would increase.

According to a document leaked over the weekend, 15 states have more than 100 delegates.

Oyo, Akwa Ibom, Kano, Delta, Enugu, Rivers, Adamawa, Imo, Kaduna, Bauchi, Benue, Borno, Katsina, Sokoto, and Osun are among them, with court conflicts threatening to decrease the number of delegates.

The National Chairman and other members of the National Executive Committee (NEC); serving and former governors; serving and former members of the Board of Trustees; former members of the National Working Committee; members of the National Assembly and former principal officers are among the delegates, according to Section 33 of the PDP Constitution.

Others include current and former members of the Zonal Executive Committee and State Working Committee; elected Local Government Area (LGA) Council chairmen; all LGA party chairmen; governorship candidates and deputies; National Assembly candidates; National delegates to the National Convention (one per LGA); and one physically challenged person per state.

Abia has 116, FCT has 36, Adamawa has 119, Akwa Ibom has 174, Anambra has 91, Bauchi has 106, Bayelsa has 79, Benue has 139, Borno has 100, Cross River has 79, and Delta has 155.

Ebonyi has 79, Edo has 90, Ekiti has 72, Enugu has 143, Gombe has 60, Imo has 105, Jigawa has 87, Kaduna has 105, Kano has 150, Katsina has 114, Kebbi has 78, and Kogi has 92.

Kwara has 76 members, Lagos has 88, Nasarawa has 58, Niger has 96, Ogun has 84, Ondo has 69, Osun has 104, Oyo has 181, Plateau has 84, Rivers has 138, Sokoto has 129, Taraba has 98, Yobe has 71, and Zamfara has 34.

“The battle line is formed, especially in 15 states with 100 delegates or more,” a source said on condition of anonymity. This is why candidates compete for votes from delegates.

“With the latest amendment to the Electoral Act 2022, which enables elected councillors to be statutory delegates, the number could increase. But PDP has substantially complied with Section 84(8) of the Electoral Act in its constitution.

“But I think in the next few days, if the President assents to the amendment, PDP will decide on the way forward.

“Section 84 (8) as amended says: ‘A political party that adopts the system of indirect primaries for the choice of its candidates shall clearly outline in its constitution and rules the procedure for the democratic election of delegates to vote at the convention, congress or meeting, in addition to Statutory delegates already prescribed in the constitution of the party.’

“Those affected by this section are listed in the Explanatory Note to the amendment and they include elected councillors.”

According to reports, the 13 PDP governors are split between Atiku, Saraki, Wike, and Tambuwal.

Some presidential candidates were said to have participated in secret agreements in order to get more votes.

According to another source:  “Atiku’s camp may likely have some collaboration with Governors Bala Mohammed and Aminu Tambuwal. This camp is already dangling the offer of the office of the President of the Senate President to Tambuwal if Atiku Abubakar is elected as President. Although Adamawa Governor Umaru Fintiri is from the same state as Atiku, Wike has been lobbying him for support. Bala Mohammed is considered a future presidential candidate from the North.

“Wike is enjoying the backing of Governors Seyi Makinde (Oyo), Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi (Enugu), Okezie Ikpeazu (Abia) and Samuel Ortom (Benue), who has been his ally but cannot be at the forefront because of the interest of the Northcentral.

“To curtail the influence of Wike, some governors have queued behind Saraki, namely Duoye Diri (Bayelsa), Darius Ishaku (Taraba) and Ifeanyi Okowa (Delta).

“Bala Mohammed, Udom Emmanuel (Akwa Ibom) and Aminu Tambuwal, who are also in the race, have become beautiful brides and they may likely benefit from the last-minute power deal between the North and the South.

“If Wike gets the ticket, he will not waste time in picking his soul mate (Tambuwal) as his running mate. Other aspirants are keen on Udom and Okowa as vice presidential candidates.”

The competition will have fifteen contestants.

Two of the 17 candidates who submitted applications were eliminated by a nine-member screening committee chaired by former Senate President David Mark.

Nwachukwu Anakwenze, a US-based medical practitioner, and Cosmas Ndukwe, a politician, were both disqualified.

Ex-Vice President Atiku Abubakar, former Senate President Bukola Saraki, former Anambra State Governor Peter Obi, former Ekiti State Governor Ayo Fayose, and Teriela Oliver, the lone female candidate, have all been cleared.

Tambuwal, Wike, Mohammed, Emmanuel, and Mohammed Hayatu-Deen, a financier and economist, are among the others.

Pius Anyim, former Senate President; Sam Ohuabunwa, ex-President of the Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria (PSN); Dele Momodu, Publisher of Ovation Magazine; Charles Ugwu, and Chikwendu Kalu are among the others.

Our reporter discovered that the majority of the candidates had received the delegate list.

The contenders and their strategists are said to have based their permutations on the list available to them.

The party was keeping the list of delegates under wraps until the conclusion of delegate elections in some states, such as Zamfara, and President Buhari’s consent to the modified Section 84(8) of the Electoral Act.