2023: Saraki's Campaign DG Advises PDP on Best Approach To Select Presidential Candidate
- The director-general of the Saraki Campaign Council has urged the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to allow an open playing field for all the party's 2023 presidential aspirants
- Osaro Onaiwu said Nigeria as a country has never benefitted from the zoning of candidacy since the return of democracy in 1999
- According to Onaiwu, narrowing the party's presidential candidate to a particular zone would hinder the emergence of the best candidate that could help PDP win the presidency
With the Peoples Democratic Party consulting on whether or not it should consider zoning the 2023 presidential ticket, the director-general of the Saraki Campaign Council, Osaro Onaiwu, has said that an open field remains the best option for the party to return to power in 2023.
Onaiwu said this when three presidential aspirants - Bukola Saraki, the governors of Sokoto and Bauchi, Aminu Tambuwal and Bala Mohammed - paid a courtesy visit to a former military president, General Ibrahim Babangida, in Minna Niger state.
Source: Twitter
In a statement released on Thursday, March 31, and seen by Legit.ng, Onaiwu said the near-zero performance of the current administration led by the All Progressives Congress (APC) is indicative of the failure of using zoning to address governance issues in the country.
He noted that Nigeria since the return of democracy in 1999 has pretentiously claimed that zoning was the elixir to bad governance and maladministration but on the contrary, the records are glaring that the reverse is the case.
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His words:
"Look at the present administration, it has failed to secure Nigeria and promote prosperity."
Capability and leadership qualification over geo-political zones
Onaiwu clearly stated that what is needed at this point is to allow all qualified aspirants on the platform of the PDP to run and let the delegates decide who should fly the party's flag.
He said:
“Nigeria needs the party and individual that can promote national unity, unite the disparate voices and engender prosperity and economic wellbeing of Nigerians.
"This can only be achieved through an open field and not narrow the race to a particular zone which might just throw up not the best qualified."
General Ibrahim Badamosi Babangida reacts
Speaking after the meeting, General Babangida said he enjoyed the meeting with the team of the three presidential aspirants.
He said:
Your belief in the unity of this country is paramount in most of our discussions. Your belief in having a better Nigeria featured very prominently.
“You made my day. What you talked about in Nigeria, Nigeria and Nigeria. I want you to keep it up, for the benefit of this country and generations yet unborn."
"What you are doing is good, this is how the country should develop, consultations, compromises and so on, this will make a better country and this is what you are trying to do.”
2023 Presidency: Saraki, Tambuwal, Bala Mohammed Still in the Race, DG Campaign Council Says
Contrary to news reports, the former Senate President, Bukola Saraki and Governors Bala Mohammed and Aminu Tambuwal of Bauchi and Sokoto states are still in the contest for Nigeria's number one seat.
This was disclosed by the director-general of the Saraki Campaign Council on Wednesday, March 30.
According to Onaiwu, some mischievous individuals planted the reports out of their desperation to clinch the presidential ticket in a deceitful manner.
2023: Saraki reveals his ongoing moves before declaring for presidency
Saraki had on Sunday, March 13, revealed that he will make his intention to run for the presidency known soon.
The former Kwara governor said that at the moment he is making serious consultations with stakeholders of the PDP.
Saraki added that he is also waiting to know which geopolitical region will get the party's presidential ticket.
Source: Legit.ng
