By Akinwale Kasali
For those in the Peoples Democratic Party, rooting for an Abubakar Atiku or an Aminu Tambuwal, or a South -Easterner to pick the Presidential ticket of the Party, a shock is in stock for them.
National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Uche Secondus, says that everyone has equal opportunity to clinch the ticket of the Presidential Candidate of the Party.
Secondus made this disclosure during a visit to Governor Mohammed Bala of Bauchi State.
All members are free and qualified to give the Presidency a shot at the Presidency, he said.
“Everyone who is qualified, young, old, governors and non-governors, is qualified, and will have the opportunity to contest, and we have the space for everyone,” Secondus said in Bauchi.
However, his handling of the crisis in the party in the Southwest is not sitting well with the Governors elected on the platform of the party, its Board of Trustees (BoT) and some other stakeholders.
Secondus’ position appears to contradict the calculations in some quarters that the party would automatically zone the ticket to the South, as President Muhammadu Buhari would have completed two terms of eight years for the north.
Secondus, who, in a double-speak, said the PDP remained committed to zoning, said there would be no discrimination in picking the party’s presidential flag bearer in 2023.
He said: ”Zoning is entrenched in our constitution, and at the right time, you (reporters) will hear from us. However, the party is very democratic. There is no room for discrimination.”
However, not a few people think Secondus is right, and insist that the PDP ticked would go to the North. An insider told this magazine, “Yes, zoning is entrenched in our party’s constitution, but the last President from our party was from the South – Goodluck Jonathan. So, it follows that our candidate will come from the North.
Both Atiku, a former Vice President, and the PDP 2019 Presidential candidate, and Tambuwal, Sokoto State Governor and a PDP 2019 Presidential aspirant, are said to be interested in the 2023 PDP Presidential ticket.
Secondus was accompanied to Bauchi by Governor Aminu Waziri Taibuwal of Sokoto State, former Senate President David Mark, former governor of Gombe State, Hassan Ibrahim Dankwambo and the Deputy National Chairman of the party, North, Senator Nazif Sulieman Gamawa.
