The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) National Working Committee (NWC) will today take a final decision as to whether to zone its presidential ticket or not.
The party will also deliberate on the membership of the convention committee that will conduct the presidential primary election.
This is coming at a time when former Senate President, Bukola Saraki, is recording breakthrough among PDP delegates in North Central, North West and South West, as he prepares to embark on South East tour.
Feelers from PDP said going by developments in the All Progressives Congress (APC), especially with the entry of Senate President, Ahmad Lawan, into the presidential race and the fear that the governing party may opt for a northern candidate, the NWC is likely to adopt the recommendations of the zoning committee for the presidential ticket race to be open to all.
Sources revealed that NWC members do no want to pigeonhole the party by zoning the presidential ticket when it is becoming obvious that APC may not adopt zoning.
It was gathered that majority of the NWC members are of the view that the party should pick the most popular aspirant, irrespective of zone, with the singular motive of winning the 2023 presidential election.
In their determination to win the presidential election, it was gathered, the PDP NWC members are looking at North Central and North East as possible zones to pick a candidate. They are however monitoring the lobbying of delegates by the aspirants to know who is the favourite.
In a related development, feelers indicate that Saraki is recording success in his talks with delegates in three zones.
Competent sources revealed that owing to the sentiment that North Central has not produced a civilian President, delegates from the zones are rooting for Saraki.
Also, in South West, delegates have shown preference for the former Senate President owing to his ancestry and marriage in a famous Yoruba family.
North West delegates, it was gathered, have given favourable response as they see North Central as alternative, in the absence of strong candidate from their zone.
Saraki is expected to embark on mobilisation of delegates in the South East next week, confident that he would make breakthrough as the North Central falls into the same category of not producing the country’s President or vice president since 1999 as the South East, it was gathered. A partnership with the South East looks good, sources revealed.
Meanwhile, there is strong lobbying over the composition of the convention committee that will conduct the PDP presidential primary.
Forces in the PDP, including presidential aspirants and governors, are pushing to have their associates as members of the committee.
There are indications, however, that the PDP may pick the chairman of the convention committee from South West.
The consideration for South West, it was gathered, is because the zone is not bidding for the presidential ticket in the party.
