Fresh Crisis In PDP Over Bukola Saraki’s Rumoured Presidential Bid In 2023

 

The rumoured presidential bid of Bukola Saraki, for­mer Senate President, is already causing ripples in Nigeria’s major opposition party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Daily Independent has gathered. Even though he has not signified intention to contest, Saraki, who came third behind Sokoto State governor, Aminu Tambuwal, and former Vice President Atiku Abu­bakar (the eventual winner) in the 2018 presidential primary of the PDP is said to be nursing the amin Port Harcourt, Rivers State, bition to occupy the highest political office in the land in 2023. ­

In November 2020, Saraki, a former two-time governor of Kwara State, was appoint­ed as the chairman of the PDP’s Reconciliation and Strategy Committee with the main responsibilities of rec­onciling aggrieved members and wooing new members into its fold ahead of the 2023 general elections.

The efforts of the dedicate­tee, which crisscrossed the period and breadth of the u . S . And held meetings with diverse stakeholders, paid off with successes re­corded inside the just concluded zonal congresses, specially within the South-West in which the 2 important gladiators, Gov­ernor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State and Ayo Fayose, imme­diate beyond governor of Ekiti State, embraced and pledged to paintings collectively for the suc­cess of the party.

This earned the Saraki-led committee praises from nota­ble stakeholders inside the birthday celebration, in particular from Chief Olabode George, a former deputy countrywide chairman of the birthday party.

However, tongues have been set wagging early this week whilst marketing campaign posters announc­ing Saraki’s presidential as­piration flooded the streets of Abuja. Speaking with Daily Inde­pendent, a few celebration contributors stated Saraki shouldn’t contest as his position as the chair­man of the reconciliation committee had given him an side over other probably aspi­rants within the race.

This changed into the opinion of a celebration chieftain from the North-Western kingdom of Kano, who asked now not to be named.
He said: “Yes, Saraki did a wonderful job with the reconcilia­tion procedure but I believe he should be barred from con­trying out for government in 2023.

“That function, which al­lowed him to satisfy with our birthday party members across the country, has given him an facet over others and, to me, that is unfair. I am not the handiest person who holds this view inside the birthday celebration.”

Efforts made via Daily In­dependent to attain Alhaji Yu­suph Olaniyonu, Saraki’s me­dia aide, proved abortive as on the time of going to press.

However, a former federal lawmaker from Kwara State, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the argument that Saraki couldn't contest based totally on his position as the reconciliation committee chairman became not valid as that was no longer a part of the con­ditions given to him by means of the birthday celebration leadership.

According to him, having served as a governor for two terms and Senate president, Saraki is eminently certified to occupy the best politi­cal office inside the land if he so desires.

“That argument does no longer maintain water due to the fact the party did not give him that condi­tion that being the chairman of the reconciliation dedicate­tee excluded him from are seeking­ing the PDP’s presidential price ticket,” he said.

Going down reminiscence lane, he stated there has been nothing wrong if Saraki benefitted from his efforts in putting the birthday celebration in top shape beforehand of the 2023 presidential election, as it was the case with Rich­ard Nixon, a former president of the US.
He delivered: “If they declare his being chairman of the reconciliation committee would assist his probabilities, there may be not anything incorrect in that be­reason you could most effective contest on a platform that is robust to win.

“Also, in case you observe the story of former President Richard Nixon of the U.S., you may see that people respect those who sacrifice their time and resources in making their celebration more potent with a view to win elections. You know, he (Nixon) turned into vice chairman to Dwight Ei­senhower from 1953 to 1960.
He then contested the presidency inside the 1960 elec­tions and misplaced to John Ken­nedy.

“He went again in 1962 to contest for the governorship of his kingdom, California, and he misplaced again to Pat Brown of the Democratic Party, who become then the incumbent governor. After that, he shifted his interest to rebuilding the Republican Party. He would campaign for the birthday celebration’s can­didates in all elections.He became a rattling excellent cam­paigner and easy talker. By 1968, the party leaders saw him as the Number One Re­publican and that they gave him the celebration price ticket.

“He defeated incumbent vp, Hubert Hum­phrey, within the presidential election and went on to win pre-election in 1972. He turned into, however, forced to surrender in 1974 due to the Watergate Scandal".

“So, if PDP leaders accept as true with Saraki has completed well to reposi­tion the PDP beforehand of the 2023 presidential election and feel he has what it takes to get the birthday party price tag, why now not?”

Also speakme, a member of the birthday party’s Board of Trust­ees (BoT), who also spoke off-file, stated Saraki’s po­sition as reconciliation com­mittee chairman does now not clash together with his presidential ambition if he comes to a decision to run.

“How is he conflicted? He has a proper to run. Is chairing a peace committee an non-compulsory celebration office? Those pronouncing he is inel­igible to run because of his current position inside the birthday celebration are speakme balderdash. In any case, in discussing peace, ambition is driven in the back of. So, what are they saying? Individual ambition has in no way been on the card,” he stated.

Speaking with Daily Inde­pendent, Kola Ologbondiyan, the PDP’s National Publicity Secretary, said it was too ear­ly for all and sundry to say whether a person was eligible or no longer to contest because the birthday party changed into but to decide in which it would zone the presidential price ticket to.

“How do they recognize if he (Saraki) is ineligible to con­take a look at or now not? The celebration is but to determine where we will sector the presidency to. After this is finished, this is whilst we can say whether or not any individual is eligible or now not.”

Also reacting to Saraki’s campaign posters, he stated: “On the difficulty of the cam­paign posters, we don’t recognise those in the back of it, although we've had instances in the beyond where posters had been posted on behalf of humans and pasted with out the information of the character they claim is contest­ing.”

“I suppose the media aide of the previous Senate president has denounced the posters as the handiwork of mis­leader-makers. But as a long way as we are con­cerned within the birthday party, our attention is on our off-season elections.

“We are concerned with engendering cohesion and peace amongst our individuals and leaders, and we also are con­cerned about reconciliation. These are the challeng­es before the party now and those are what we're paintings­ing on.”