A meeting which ended in the early hours of Saturday among key leaders of PDP from the North failed to broker a consensus deal.
Former Senate President Bukola Saraki and Governors Aminu Tambuwal and Bala Mohammed declined to budge to the elders’ request for the aspirants to endorse one of them.
Former Vice-president Atiku Abubakar had from the outset of the consensus arrangement indicated his preference for selection through the primary election.
Party leaders were said to have made frantic efforts for the key aspirants to put forward a united front in the face of imminent possibility of Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers clinching the ticket.
“A lot of them don’t believe Wike can win the general election but as it is, it is almost clear that he can coast to victory if the northern candidates didn’t close their ranks,” said a source familiar with the late night meeting.
Meanwhile, delegates and party officials have started trooping in to the MKO Abiola Stadium, venue of the Presidential primaries of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
The posters of some of the main contenders Tambuwal, Mohammed, Saraki are competing for space at the venue.
Even though he has withdrawn from the race, the campaign posters of ex-investment banker Muhammed Hayatu-Deen are also visible around the arena.
It was also gathered that the convention proper is billed for 4pm even though there had not been any official information to that effect.
The aspirants are also said to be engaged in last-minute horse trading and consultation with other aspirants and delegates with the hope that the pendulum will swing their way. (With Veracity Desk report)
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