PDP presidential candidate emerges October 23

The Peoples Democratic
Party (PDP) presidential
flag bearer in the 2011
elections will emerge at a
special national convention
on October 23. This was
announced by the party after
its emergency National
Executive Committee (NEC)
meeting in Abuja yesterday.
Also, each of the presidential
aspirants is to pay a total of
N11 million, comprising N1
million for the Expression of

Interest form andN10 million
for the nomination form. So
far, there are four aspirants
on the platform of the PDP,
including the incumbent
president, Goodluck
Jonathan; former military
president, Ibrahim
Babangida, former vice
president, Atiku Abubakar,
and Sarah Jibril, who is the
only female aspirant.

The National Publicity
Secretary of the party,
Ahmed Rufai Alkali, told
journalists after the meeting
that the party’s candidates
for the state Houses of
Assembly will emerge on
October 2; gubernatorial
candidates, October 8; House
of Representatives
candidates, October 12; and
senatorial candidates,
October 14.

He also said that the
governorship candidates will
pay a total of N5.5 million
each, comprising Expression
of Interest form, N500,000
and nomination form for N5
million. Senators will be
required to pay N2.2 million
(Expression of Interest
N200,000 and nomination
form N2 million); House of
Representatives members,
N1.1 million (N100,000,
Expression of Interest and
nomination form N1 million);
and State Houses of Assembly
N600,000 (N100,000 for

Expression of Interest and
N500,000 for the nomination
form).
Concession for female
aspirants
Mr Rufai said female
aspirants are exempted from
paying nomination fees, but
are expected to pay the
expression of interest fees
at every level.
The PDP spokesperson also
announced the modalities for
picking the candidates at the
various congresses and
conventions, and those that
are qualified to be
nominated as delegates to
them. He added that the NEC
resolved to put on hold the
midterm conference and
special convention, in view of
the limited time for the
conduct of Congresses and
Convention.

The other highlight of the
meeting was the waivers
granted to former vice
president, Abubakar Atiku,
and 15 others. Those granted
waivers include: Ada
Okwuonu, deputy governor of
Imo State; Chikwem Onuoha;
Ijeoma Nwafor; Charles
Chinedum Elechi; Prince
Okoro; David Imuse;
Alphonsus Igbeke and Olusola
Akanmode.
Others are: Mohammed
Salami Ohiare; Salihu Otaru
Ohize; Abdulkareem Saliu;
Suleiman Kokori Abdul;
Abdulmumeen Ahmed Okara;
and Momoh Jimoh Anda
A victory for democracy

Meanwhile, Mr Abubakar has
lauded the ratification of his
waiver by the NEC of the
party, saying it is the right
thing to do. He hailed the
national working committee
of the party, the executive
council, stakeholders and
other party faithful for their
moral courage.
He said in a statement by the
Atiku Campaign Organisation
that “It is time to chart a
new course for the PDP by
entrenching true democracy
and the rule of law. It is not
about me. It is about ensuring
that we deepen our
democracy by entrenching
inclusiveness in our party’s
quest to usher in a new
order.”