2015: Shock as PDP cancels presidential primary, adopts Jonathan as sole candidate ...Sambo's fate shaky

Jonathan and Sambo

The Peoples Democratic Party has said with the adoption of President Goodluck Jonathan by the party’s National Executive Committee, the party will not hold the presidential primary scheduled for December 6. It said with the adoption, the President had become the sole candidate for the presidential election.

With the development, it said the party would only ratify Jonathan’s candidature on December 6.

The National Publicity Secretary of the party, Mr. Olisa Metuh, who disclosed this in a telephone interview with our correspondent on Friday said the convention would ratify the decision taken at NEC.

NEC had on Thursday pronounced the President as the sole candidate of the party for the election.

Metuh said, “There is difference between convention and primary. What we are going to have on December 6 at the convention is to ratify the decision taken at NEC.

“There will be no primary again because we already have a candidate and what we will do is that delegates will just ratify him.”

With this arrangement, only President Jonathan is expected to pay the sum of N22m, which the party has fixed as nomination fee for its presidential aspirants.

Governorship aspirants are to pay N11million while senators are to pay N4m, Reps, N2 million and State House of Assembly aspirants, N1m.

The NEC, while approving this as part of its guidelines for the 2014 general elections, added that the presidential primary shall be by special convention using the modified open secret ballot system otherwise known as open secret.

Meanwhile, the PDP has said the silence by all organs of the party on Vice-President Namadi Sambo is an indication that he remains Jonathan’s running mate.

The Deputy National Publicity Secretary of the party, Mr. Ibrahim Jalo, who spoke with our correspondent, said there was nothing to fear on the issue.

He said, “You know the issue of endorsement started with the National Caucus and the PDP Governors’ Forum before the BoT and NEC.

“In all these, the issue of running mate was not discussed because it is a joint ticket.”

“So, since there was silence on this matter, it means that has been admitted because it is a joint ticket.

SUNDAY PUNCH investigation showed that Sambo’s determination and intense lobby, using the governors of the Peoples Democratic Party, ensured the retention of his post.

Sambo, who was described as a loyal deputy by many members of the National Executive Committee of the party at their meeting in Abuja on Thursday, did not go to rest as those allegedly interested in his position were also lobbying to take his position in 2015.

Among the names of those constantly mentioned as being interested in the position were governors Isa Yuguda(Bauchi) and Ibrahim Shema(Kastina).

Both of them had denied having such ambition, saying the vice-president remained their brother and they would not do anything to jeopardise his interest.