- The chairman of the Board of Trustees of the PDP, Senator Walid Jibrin, has stated that the party would not give an automatic presidential ticket to Atiku Abubakar, ahead of the 2019 elections
- Jibrin stated that the former vice president would have to struggle for the ticket in a primary election, just like other contenders, if he chooses to return to the party
- He further disclosed that other top-tier Northern politicians were contending for the ticket, but stated that the opposition party would warmly receive the former VP back into its fold if he left the APC
Senator Walid Jibrin, Chairman, Board of Trustees, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), has ruled out granting an automatic ticket to Atiku Abubakar, former Vice President, to contest the 2019 presidential election on the party’s platform, Punch reports.
Jibrin made his comments while chatting with newsmen in Kaduna state.
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NAIJ.com gathers that the PDP chieftain stated that if the former VP chose to return to the opposition party, he would have to struggle for the party’s presidential ticket, just like other contenders.
However, Jibrin stated that the PDP was expectant of Atiku’s return, and would warmly receive him into their fold.
He stated that with the way the former vice president had been treated by the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), he had no choice but to return to the PDP.
He stated: “Has he told you he is returning to the PDP? We are ready to accept him to our party but he should be ready to work for a waiver.
“The North met in Abuja to say that any candidate from the North can contest. Let us get them. I think they are getting set now.
“For now, we have a former governor of Kano State, Ibrahim Shekarau; former Jigawa State governor, Sule Lamido; a former governor of Sokoto State, Attahiru Bafarawa, and so on, preparing to vie for the PDP presidential ticket.
“If the PDP grants Atiku a waiver, he should then join the cream of presidential aspirants in the party to fight for the ticket in 2019.
“If the PDP considers Atiku for the automatic presidential ticket, what about those in the party who are showing interest? Should we throw them away? If he is coming, he should come as an equal partner.
“We are ready to accept him; but he must follow the rules of the game. First, he must undergo primaries like any other person, and he must fight for the presidential ticket.”
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Meanwhile, NAIJ.com previously reported that the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) sent an important message to former vice president, Atiku Abubakar, urging him to return to the party ahead of the 2019 elections.
Atiku was a member of the party before moving to the All Progressives Congress (APC) ahead of the 2015 elections; and even contested in the presidential primaries but lost to eventual winner, Muhammadu Buhari.
2019 Presidency: Nigerians reveal why they prefer Atiku to President Buhari - on NAIJ.com TV:
Source: Naija.ng
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