Saraki claims he has the backing of eight PDP governors in his quest to become presidential candidate

SENATE president Senator Bukola Saraki has stepped up his bid to become the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) flagbearer in next year's elections by securing the support of eight of the party's 14 governors ahead of its impending primary.

On Friday, October 5, the PDP will hold its presidential primary elections and National Convention. where it will be decided to stands as its flagbearer in the February 2019 elections. There are currently 12 candidates vying to become the PDP presidential flagbearer by Senator Saraki, former vice president Atiku Abubakar and ex-Kano State governor Rabiu Kwankwaso are the three frontrunners.

Candidates seeking the party nomination, including Atiku Abubakar,  Ahmed Makarfi, Rabiu Kwankwaso, Aminu Tambuwal, Bukola Saraki, Ibrahim Dankwambo, Sule Lamido, Tanimu Turaki, Attahiru Bafarawa, Jonah Jang, Ahmed Datti and David Mark. Earlier this week, while submitting their nomination forms, Senator Saraki and former Plateau State governor Senator Jonah Jang, ruled out the possibility of accepting a consensus candidate as some party leaders have suggested.

While Senator Saraki said the option was not an issue, Senator Jang argued that anything short of allowing all aspirants to test their popularity at the polls may be difficult to accept.

Before flying to Ghana to attend the funeral of former United Nations secretary-general, Kofi Anan, Senator Saraki revealed that he had the support of no less than eight PDP governors.

Already, the PDP Governors’ Forum led by Ekiti State's Governor Ayo Fayose has urged the PDP's National Working Committee to provide a level playing field for all presidential aspirants with a warning not to sideline old and faithful leaders who stayed put while others defected during the party’s troubled times. However, the PDP's board of trustees is set to meet with the aspirants next week to make them realise the significance of  rallying behind a consensus candidate to challenge the All Progressives Congress (APC).

Board of trustees chairman Senator Walid Jibrin, said: “We want peace for our party and that is why we will meet the aspirants and urge them to deliberate among themselves so that they can come up with a consensus candidate. However, if this is not possible, we will go for credible primary election.”

PDP governors have rejected the consensus idea because they see it as a plot by some of their colleagues to impose a presidential candidate on the party. Instead, the governors have offered to meet with the 12 presidential aspirants this week on their commitment to free and fair primaries.