...Frontrunners and Pretenders

Also, with the Emir of Dutse, Mohammed Sanusi rooting for his aspiration and Senator Ali Ndume coordinating his campaign in the Senate, alongside an NGO that has been selling him across the country, his chances look bright if he gets the backing of the president.

PRETENDERS

The mark of those lumped in this group is their uncertainty, their aloofness in politics that is a contact sport, their hesitation to declare formally and make a show of any structure. They include Senator Ken Nnamani, who lost out in the last minute politicking for the position of Deputy National Chairman, South, at the recent national convention of APC; Governor Kayode Fayemi of Ekiti State, who said he would declare his intention after the Holy month of Ramadan, after denying having any such plan for several months.

Others are Senator Rochas Okorocha, who is having a running supremacy battle with Governor Hope Uzodinma in Imo State; Dr. Chris Ngige, the former governor, senator. Governor Umahi, Senator Ibikunle Amosun, a former Ogun State governor, who said he would declare after the Ramadan fast period and Senator Orji Uzor Kalu.

Also in this category are Governor Yahaya Bello of Kogi State, Mr Gbenga Olawepo-Hashim, Ibinabo Joy Dokubo and Pastor Tunde Bakare.

PDP

Buying time to keep a close watch on what its rival, the APC, is doing, is part of the game plan of the PDP, though it has fixed its convention for May 28 and 29, a day before APC’s chosen date of May 30, 2022.

As at the last count, 17 aspirants had picked up the presidential forms of the main opposition party. They are former Vice President Atiku Abubakar; Sokoto State Governor, Aminu Waziri Tambuwal; former president of the Senate, Bukola Saraki; a former Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Anyim Pius Anyim; Bauchi State Governor Bala Mohammed; Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike; Akwa Ibom State Governor, Udom Emmanuel; former Anambra State governor, Peter Obi, former Ekiti State governor, Ayodele Fayose; Dr. Nwachukwu Anakwenze, Chief Dele Momodu; former banker, Mohammed Hayatu-Deen; Chief Sam Ohuabunwa; former Speaker of Abia House of Assembly, Cosmos Ndukwe; Mr. Charles Ugwu, Rt. Hon Chikwendu Kalu and Oliver Tareila Diana, the only female aspirants so far in the party.

Zoning and consensus arrangement, as formula for choosing its presidential candidate for the 2023 poll, is tearing the party down the middle. With the South clamouring for a power shift and big guns in the party like former Atiku insisting on primary election as against consensus, which is being canvassed by many stakeholders including some governors, the party’s leaders are at their wits’ end. Yet, like the APC, it also has formidable Frontrunners and pretenders.

PDP’S FRONTRUNNERS ATIKU ABUBAKAR

As things stand in the party, the fear of Atiku is the beginning of political wisdom for many presidential aspirants under the platform of the PDP. His clout built over long years of politicking since the third republic, during the reign of the Peoples Democratic Movement (PDM) under the late Gen Musa Yar’ Ardua, through his tenure as Vice President between 1999 and 2007 under the PDP and many lucrative businesses, has earned himself visibility, war chest and cult followership. On a level playing field, many aspirants do not stand a chance with him. At 75, age is Atiku’s biggest albatross. Also, the key northern clique made up of retired military brass that propelled the politician to victory in the party’s 2019 presidential primary is not keen on his ambition this time around.

GOVERNOR NYESOM WIKE

As one of the three state governors who recently reshaped the PDP, alongside his Adamawa and Oyo counterparts, namely, Umaru Fintiri and Seyi Makinde, Governor Wike's hold on the party remains strong. He even flaunts it. While consulting with stakeholders, he claimed to have financed the party through trying times and because of that he should be compensated with the presidential ticket. His clout, visibility and war chest is not in doubt. The clamour for a power shift to the South is a big plus for him.

PETER OBI

Former Anambra governor, Peter Obi, has grabbed the opportunity provided by the preparation for the 2023 presidential election to build on his clean-guy image as a frugal, management savvy, focused and leadership driven person earned in his days as governor. His articulation of the country’s problems and the probable solutions has broadened his acceptability within the party and the country as a whole. The clamour for an Igbo presidency within the party may work in his favour.

SENATOR BUKOLA SARAKI

Former Senate President, Dr Bukola Saraki, has got the attention of the decision makers of the party, at least through those who see his North-Central origin as a bridge between the North and the South, should the zoning formula continue to pose a challenge for the party to choose its presidential candidate. Some state governors, especially those whose support he has won, are said to be pushing this option. Last week, he emerged alongside Governor Bala Mohammed of Bauchi State as the two consensus candidates of the north for the presidency “for the moment,” according to a statement by Prof. Ango Abdullahi, who chaired a committee backed by former military leader, General Ibrahim Babangida, to prune the number of PDP aspirants from the north.

GOVERNOR AMINU TAMBUWAL

Governor Aminu Tambuwal of Sokoto state has been in the radar of the party since 2019 when he lost the presidential ticket to Atiku Abubakar. His presidential aspiration appears to have come to an abrupt end this time around. The governor was one of the four aspirants that presented themselves for the consensus arrangement of northern aspirants of the PDP backed by General Babangida. Himself and Mohammed Hayatu-deen were disqualified by the committee. All four had earlier agreed to abide by the decision of the consensus committee.

GOVERNOR BALA MUHAMMED

The serving governor of Bauchi State has shown that he is clearly one of the top contenders in the PDP having emerged as one of the two consensus candidates chosen by the committee backed by General Babangida.

It however remains unclear if the governor, who had previously served as Minister of the FCT during the administration of President Jonathan, can build the coalition to win at the party’s primary next month.

PRETENDERS

Like the APC, the PDP has aspirants who are reluctant to fully commit to the presidential race because they do not have the money, political network and reach to jump start their bid.

Their lackluster campaign effort after declaring their aspirations give the impression that they are gunning for the vice presidential ticket or are willing fronts for aspirants to spoil the chances of competitors in their geo-political zones. They include Ayodele Fayose; Anyim Pius Anyim, Udom Emmanuel; Dele Momodu, Sam Ohuabunwa, Nwachukwu Anakwenze, Chief Dele Momodu, Mohammed Hayatu-Deen, Sam Ohuabunwa, Cosmos Ndukwe, Charles Ugwu, Chikwendu Kalu and Oliver Tareila Diana.