The Campaign Organisation of Senator Bukola Saraki has given reasons why the former Senate President is leading the campaign for consensus Presidential candidate in Peoples Democratic Party.

Mr. Yusuf Olaniyonu, Media Adviser to Saraki in a press interview noted that the desire of his boss to see that PDP has a manageable field of contestants to save the party from potential post-primary acrimony is the main reason his boss is criss-crossing the country to sell his idea among Presidential aspirants and key party stakeholders.

Olaniyonu described Saraki as a party man who will do everything possible to make sure PDP succeeds in the bid to take over the national government in the coming 2023 elections.

Senator Saraki in company of Sokoto State Governor, Aminu Tambuwal, Bauchi State Governor, Bala Mohammed, former Managing Director of FSB International Bank, Mohammed Hayatudeen have been visiting PDP controlled states and other party leaders to canvas for adoption of a consensus Presidential candidate for the main opposition party.

While speaking on the objective of the efforts of Saraki and others to ensure PDP picks its presidential candidate through consensus, Olaniyonu said Saraki was not asking for all aspirants to step down but for the number of aspirants in PDP to be pruned down. As at the last count, 17 aspirants have picked presidential nomination forms in PDP.

Olaniyonu said: “He is a party man to the core. Any decision taken by the party on these two issues will be okay by him. The fact that he and some others are canvassing consensus candidacy, we have to put it in context. We are not saying consensus candidate means only one person will be presented at the primary.

“All we’re simply saying is that, reduce the number to a manageably low rate. Now 17 people have taken forms. The date of picking forms has not closed. More people will still pick. But you see, any serious party that wants to win an election cannot go to the primary with 17 aspirants. You cannot. It will be difficult for the party to handle. It will make the convention very complex. What we have started canvassing is to reduce the number to a manageable extent.

“Create a situation where the aspirants of their own volition can discuss among themselves, persuade each other, some step down for the other so that the number is tremendously reduced.

“So, that is the purpose of this. You can see, when the APC (All Progressives Congress) was an opposition party in 2015 and was serious about defeating the incumbent, it had so many people who were interested in the Presidency, but essentially, only five people got to the ballot at the Lagos convention.

“That was what helped them to manage the process effectively. Now, we’re looking at 17 people who have picked forms. The number may go on to 20 because the sale of forms has not closed.

“So, what they’re simply saying is that, reduce the number. Look for four serious aspirants. Let the aspirants meet of their own volition without anybody compelling them to debate among themselves. And say, let’s start the process. Let’s show a good example. Let’s show people that even in Nigeria that you struggle; you need consensus building. In a country that has these kinds of problems, you need bridge-building. You need people to agree among themselves and put the interest of the nation and the interest of the party above personal ambition.

“So, they said, let us show good examples. So, three of them started; two governors and a former Senate president. Because of the good initiative that they started; one other person joined them; a former MD (managing director) of a leading bank. So, they are four now. They are saying that we are ready to produce only one among us and the three of us are ready to support one person. That’s in the first instance.

“They now said, once we have started, let us encourage others. And that’s how you see them taking their message of building consensus and meeting ground of unity and cooperation; extending it to others. They’ve seen all the 11 governors.”

“Apart from that, they’ve also gone to see top stakeholders of the party. That’s driving the message. Now, they’re even saying that probably next week they want to have a meeting with other aspirants from other zones; to encourage them to also have the same arrangement of working together to reduce the number.

“Their own initiative is sparking a strong discussion in the South, where you see the South-East aspirants; Anyim, Peter Obi, Ohuabunwa and Anakwenze. So, you see, if they are successful, we may end up having three or four aspirants going to the primary. So that is the purpose of all they’re doing. Their own consensus is not about imposing one person or shutting down the ambition of another person.”

https://westernpost.ng/why-saraki-is-leading-consensus-arrangement-in-pdp-spokesman/

Their local problem

I just don't know why I so much love that man called Saraki.

Jostoman:
I just don't know why I so much love that man called Saraki.

lol. How not to win an election.

Hnnmmm