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There was initial subtle consensus in many quarters that the end of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) was near, with some projecting that it would happen during the ruling party’s national convention. That didn’t happen, and instead, all eyes are now on which PDP hopeful will challenge President Buhari come 2019.
The following is a list of men from which the PDP’s top contender will be picked:
(1)-Atiku Abubakar
Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has thrown himself into the ring, jostling to secure the ticket of the leading opposition party. He has consistently bashed the current government for not living up to its mandate in the areas of security and economy, among others.
Ibrahim Hassan Dankwambo
Dankwambo is a second-term governor of Gombe State who is said to have performed very well there. The governor has age by his side, and enjoys the support of many, including his colleagues in the PDP Governors’ Forum and NWC who see him as a key figure.
Dankwambo’s entry into the race has given hope to some members of the party and non-members in the North-East who feel the region should also take a shot at the presidency, and not the North-West. He was Accountant-General of the Federation, and is said to have the financial strength to run.
(2)-Donald Duke
Duke is a former governor of Cross River State and one of the notable politicians in the former President Olusegun Obasanjo’s Coalition for Nigeria Movement (CNM), who has declared to run for presidency.
Though he was elected on the platform of the PDP as governor, Duke had recently pitched tent with the CNM, but later in April, defended himself that he is still a member of the PDP. Many believe that he too is only angling for the VP slot.
(3)-Ahmed Makarfi
Makarfi served for eight years as governor of Kaduna State and did another eight at the Senate thereafter. He later became Chairman of the PDP National Caretaker Committee during the intense leadership crisis that ravaged the party for 14 months.
Makarfi had after his exit from office in the second week of December, 2017, maintained sealed lips concerning his ambition until a few weeks ago when he declared to run for the party’s ticket.
Insiders believe that the ex-governor has good chances of emerging as the party’s candidate, considering his track record as governor and at the Senate, including his towering credentials in the management of the PDP crisis which subsequently saw Senator Ali Modu Sheriff thrown out by the Supreme Court.
(4)-Datti Baba-Ahmed
‘Fix Nigeria’ is the slogan of Senator Datti Baba-Ahmed, whose advertorials are now trending in the pages of newspapers, flyers, posters, banners, and billboards of epic proportions in many states across Nigeria. Unlike most of the other candidates who said they were persuaded to vie for the presidency, the hopeful, who is under-50 said he is convinced that this is his time and he has the requisite education, skills and agility to re-jig Nigeria for the better.
(5)-Kabiru Tanimu Turaki
Turaki is a former Minister of Special Duties, and was also chairman of Former Ministers’ Forum during the leadership crisis that tore the party into two parallel pieces. He played key roles towards the revival of the party and always led other ex-ministers on the platform of the party to give direction to the party. He stood by the Senator Ahmed Makarfi-led PDP until Senator Ali Modu Sheriff who refused to leave office was later sacked by the Supreme Court.
(6)-Malam Ibrahim Shekarau
Shekarau is a former governor of Kano State, who also worked relentlessly during the 14-month legal battle within the party under the aegis of PDP Ex-Ministers’ Forum. Like Lamido and Atiku, Shekarau has officially written to the PDP on his intention to vie for the presidency. He is seen as one of those serious about PDP reclaiming power in 2019.
Shekarau is also seen by many as a force. “As far as I am concerned, the issue of contest on the platform of the PDP is a level playing ground for everybody. Each and every member is free to test his popularity and political weight when the time comes,” he had said.
(7)-Sule Lamido
Lamido, a former governor of Jigawa State and one of the founding fathers of the PDP, has also indicated interest in the party’s ticket for 2019. Analysts say the onetime Minister of Foreign Affairs has the clout to win the party’s ticket considering his track records of sacrifices made to the party since its formation in 1998. Despite his travails, he has not left the PDP.
It is instructive to note that while the party was experiencing setbacks in other climes after its defeat in 2015, it was thriving in Lamido’s home state of Jigawa to the extent that some members of the ruling APC reportedly defected to the PDP.
(8)-Ayodele Fayose
Fayose is governor of Ekiti State and Chairman of PDP Governors’ Forum. He declared to run for the party’s ticket in September last year but maintained a low profile few weeks after. His declaration was against the zoning formula in the PDP considering that the ticket had been zoned to the north, while he is from the south.
Insiders, however, disclosed that the governor who would be leaving office in the last quarter of this year, is eyeing the vice presidential ticket and not the apex one. His challenge however, is that there are many contenders.
Smartzonas Saturday gathered that the Deputy Senate President Ike Ekweremadu, former governor of Anambra State Peter Obi, former Minister of Finance Okonjo-Iweala, and former Secretary of the PDP National Caretaker Committee Sen. Ben Obi, are likely to contest the VP slot.
(9)-David Mark
Mark is a four-time serving senator and ex-Senate president. He is former military governor of Niger State and experienced Benue-born politician. During his reign as Senate President, Mark brought stability to the Senate by bringing diplomacy to bear on issues before the floor.
The lawmaker has maintained sealed lips over his ambition, but our reporter gathered that many groups, especially from the North Central, have submitted letters prodding him to run.
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