Yemi Adedeji, Abuja
PRESIDENTIAL aspirants on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) have kicked against using Port Harcourt as the venue for the party’s convention.
The leadership of the party had fixed October 6, 2018 as the day for its national convention where the presidential candidate would be picked to fly the party’s flag.
The PDP Governors Forum and the National Working Committee (NWC) had last week Thursday held a meeting with the aspirants, where it was learnt that Port Harcourt was picked against Enugu and Akwa Ibom, on the excuse that Port Harcourt has more hotel accommodations than the two other states.
Also,at that meeting, the governors had kicked against the issue of consensus, adding that all the aspirants should go to the field to slug it out.
The aspirants, it was learnt were not too comfortable with Port Harcourt, but suggested that a different venue should be used.
The 13 presidential aspirants vying for the PDP presidential ticket are, former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar; the Governor of Sokoto State, Aminu Tambuwal; the Governor of Gombe State, Ibrahim Dankwabo; President of the Senate, Dr. Bukola Saraki; former Governor of Jigawa State, Sule Lamido; former Governor of Kaduna State, Ahmed Makarfi; and a former Special Duties Minister, Tanimu Turaki.
Others are a former President of the Senate, David Mark; a former Governor of Kano State, Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso; a former Governor of Sokoto State, Attahiru Bafarawa; a former Plateau State Governor, Jonah Jang; former senator, Dr. Baba Datti Ahmed and Stanley Osifo.
A source at the meeting had said, “the issue of where to hold the convention came up, Enugu, Akwa Ibom and Rivers states were suggested, but Rivers state was selected. Enugu and Akwa Ibom were discarded because there are no enough hotels to accommodate the peoples that will come for the convention. Rivers States has enough accommodation, that was why it was selected.”
However, it was further gathered that in the meeting, one of the aspirants, Atiku Abubakar had raised an eyebrow over Port Harcourt venue for the convention.
Atiku, it was learnt had said that he hope that “this is not a predetermined convention since it is going to Port Harcourt.”
A source close to the PDP Governors’ Forum and the aspirants revealed that the aspirants are asking for a different venue.
According to the source, “they are asking for a different venue. Among the venue being considered are, Lagos, Delta and Akwa Ibom.