Saraki bids to return as senate president as PDP submits his name to Inec as its Kwara Central candidate

SENATE president Senator Bukola Saraki has been selected by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) as its candidate for the Kwara Central Senatorial District in the forthcoming elections after the original aspirant stood down for him.

Yesterday, Senator Saraki's name was on the list of senatorial candidates the PDP submitted to the Independent National Electoral Commission (Inec) to stand in next February's parliamentary elections. Earlier this month, Senator Saraki was one of 13 candidates who sought the PDP's presidential nomination and came third behind eventual winner Alhaji Atiku Abubakar and Sokoto State governor Aminu Tambuwal.

With the PDP having held its senatorial primaries before that of the presidential primary election, Senator Saraki was not a candidate but under the party's laws, a candidate's name can be submitted to Inec if the selected aspirant withdraws from the race. It is believed that senator Saraki’s name was used to replace the name of one Ope, whose name was initially filed as the PDP candidate for the senatorial district.

It is believed that Senator Saraki is being positioned to return as senate president in 2019 by the PDP, if Alhaji Abubakar wins the presidential election. One party source said: “Bukola Saraki’s name is there and he's returning to the senate on the platform of the PDP.”