The Peoples Democratic Party has given the North the option of producing its presidential candidate in 2023 despite the emergence of a northerner, Senator Iyorchia Ayu, as the consensus chairmanship candidate of the party, The PUNCH has learnt.

This was confirmed by a former acting National Chairman of the PDP, Alhaji Kawu Baraje, during a chat with The PUNCH on Thursday.

Ayu, a former Senate President, who is from the North-Central, emerged the consensus candidate of the PDP ahead of a former Governor Ibrahim Shema of Katsina State and Senator Abdul Ningi from the North-East.

Traditionally, the PDP has always zoned its chairmanship and presidential seats to different regions, but while it zoned its chairmanship seat this time around, it has refused to zone its presidential seat.

Baraje, had in a statement on Wednesday said the North-Central needed the Presidency not the national chairmanship of the party.

According to him, in the event the zone gets the chairmanship, it should not prevent it from contesting the presidency.

Speaking to The PUNCH on whether this concern was addressed before Ayu was chosen via consensus, Baraje said, “It was one of the provisos when we settled for Ayu. It (concern) was very much addressed and we are satisfied.

The party too agreed with us. Not only did we agree that the fact that the party chairman is coming from the North-Central does not stop the zone from contesting the presidential ticket This was put in black and white as an agreement.”

Speaking further he said, “Ayu is capable of leading the party to victory. He has been a Senate President. He has been a minister. He is a founding father of the party. He knows who to contact and know that running a party is about inclusiveness. He is coming on board with all these experiences.”

With the agreement, the presidential ticket of the party is opened to the North and the South.

How Ayu emerged
After the screening and sub-zonal stakeholders’ meetings, three candidates emerged. The North-Central produced Ayu while the North-West nominated Shema. Ningi was the candidate presented by the North-East.

A meeting to select a consensus candidate from the three earlier scheduled for Wednesday, was postponed.

A highly placed party insider, who was privy to what transpired during the series of meetings which started on Monday and ended on Thursday, gave an insight into what transpired.

The source, who spoke on condition of anonymity for fear of retribution said, “Yesterday (Wednesday)’s meeting to select consensus candidate could not hold because when the governors saw the mood and number of people mobilised in and out of the venue, they realised their scheme would fail except they appealed to some stakeholders and come clean instead of the manipulations. They then postponed it till 11am (Thursday).

https://punchng.com/ayus-emergence-as-chair-north-gets-pdps-nod-to-contest-2023-presidency/

Always politics and nothing more. What have we done wrong in this country?

The zoning of a thing should be scrapped... That u are the majority does not mean u have to be providing rulers every time. Every election coming from that region are not always credible simply because of their underaged voters. Politics is an easy way to acquire wealth in a short time.. That's why it's why it's always trending.

Nobody is surprised.

That's why intelligent people like Nnamdi Kanu has been advocating for Biafra.

Let no northerner mismanage my future again.

Interesting.

Meanwhile, even though SS had the last Pdp party chairman, they might be gunny for VP position this time

helinues:
Interesting.

Meanwhile, even though SS had the last Pdp party chairman, they might be gunny for VP position this time

Exactly

And the SW will be left in the dustbin

vanbonattel:


Exactly

And the SW will be left in the dustbin

SW as a region know where they have been sowing and are expecting to reap from there.

Not like a region that Northerners are using their head to play ping pong that's after decades of dedicated service to the party

vanbonattel:
Nobody is surprised.

That's why intelligent people like Nnamdi Kanu has been advocating for Biafra.

Let no northerner mismanage my future again.

You will still vote Atiku.

Know this and know peace .

vanbonattel:
Nobody is surprised.

That's why intelligent people like Nnamdi Kanu has been advocating for Biafra.

Let no northerner mismanage my future again.

Guy,make I no vex for you.

Stop using Kanu and intelligent in the same statement...

How can an intelligent guy be picked like UGU without throwing fire cracker?

helinues:


Guy,make I no vex for you.

Stop using Kanu and intelligent in the same statement...

How can an intelligent guy be picked like UGU without throwing fire cracker?

Because idiots still parade Nairaland displaying anti Igbo vituperations.

Those who hates Igbo on Nairaland are so disgusting..

Puke.

I love this news. Biafra ns don't need the presidency.
What they want is Biafra

CYBERSOLDIERSre:


Because idiots still parade Nairaland displaying anti Igbo vituperations.

Those who hates Igbo on Nairaland are so disgusting..

Puke.

And who do the Igbo's love exactly? Which tribe? Region?

vanbonattel:


Exactly

And the SW will be left in the dustbin

And you that are not left in the dustbin are crying marginalization up and down.

And your Northern masters haven't even considered you fit to carry the placard of the party you've been slaving away for for years.

Very good, all qualified candidates should contest. nothing like it is our turn to be president in nigeria constitution .

Hmm

helinues:


SW as a region know where they have been sowing and are expecting to reap from there.

Not like a region that Northerners are using their head to play ping pong that's after decades of dedicated service to the party

Taaa keep quiet...
You think everybody don't see the smoke screen you SW are projecting?.
You folks said the east don't play national or inclusive politics, now they are trying to build bridges your complaining.

When the west aligned with the north to wrestle power from the south south was it safe to say the north used the west's head to play ping pong, you all termed it sophistication, now realignment are going on with the ss/se and North your already foaming from your mouth..

See people grow and learn and a time will come when they will be immune to your cynical reversed psychology game play..

Politics is game..
Is game on...