PDP to appoint director-general of Atiku Abubakar Campaign Organisation from the southwest

NIGERIA'S main opposition the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has zoned the position of the director-general of the Atiku Abubakar Campaign Organisation to the southwest geo-political zone ahead of next year's presidential elections.

In February, Nigerians will go to the polls in what is expected to be an open race between Alhaji Abubakar of the PDP, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu of the All Progressives Congress and Peter Obi of the Labour Party. In a bid to woo voters from across the southwest, the PDP has decided to appoint a bigwig from the zone as its campaign chief and has narowed its shortlist down to former Osun State governor Olagunsoye Oyinlola and Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State.

This decision was taken yesterday when the party’s board of trustees met and resolved to meet with Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State with a view to ending the crisis that emanated from the decision of Atiku not to pick him as his running mate. One party leader said the plan is to pick a campaign manager from the southwest since this is the region that is considered as the strongest base of Asiwaju Tinubu.

He said: “Usually, when running a presidential campaign, it is always good to pick a campaign manager from the region that your major opponent is from. When Buhari was running against Jonathan in 2015, he picked Amaechi as his campaign director-general as he was from the Niger Delta just like Jonathan.

"Similarly, Jonathan picked Ahmadu Ali, who is from the north, as his campaign director-general. So, the PDP is also considering the southwest for this strategic assignment. You know Atiku won Ondo and Oyo in 2019 and now, Osun is PDP territory as well.”

When asked why Oyinlola and Makinde were being considered, the chieftain said these two had the temperament for the job. He, however, said former governor Oyinlola was more likely to get the job barring any unexpected development.

“Oyinlola is very experienced and he understands Lagos politics as well having served as military governor. Makinde will also be running for a tough governorship re-election and may be too busy to focus on Atiku’s campaign.

“Also, we are waiting for Wike’s input. Wike may probably prefer Makinde because they are close but these are the two main options,” the party source added.