PRESIDENTIAL TICKET: PDP focused on ‘Credible primaries’ not consensus— Saraki

Senate President Bukola Saraki has ruled out the possibility of picking the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) by consensus.

According to the presidential hopeful, the party has a task to ensure internal democracy and conduct a credible primary.

Saraki stated this shortly after submitting his Expression of Interest and Nomination forms at the PDP National Secretariat in Abuja on Monday.

He also tasked the leadership of the party to conduct transparent primaries to pick its Presidential flag bearer for the 2019 elections, adding that Nigerian youths want a President who in 2019 will address the challenge of unemployment, even as he urged the electorate not to make the mistake of electing a leader incapable of providing answer to the national question.

He said: “I don’t think the consensus thing is an issue before us because we are trying to make sure that there is internal democracy in the system and a very credible primaries.

Read also: 2019: I’m confident Lamido will step down for me— Atiku

“What is important is that at the end of the day, we have something that is rancour free. What I can tell you is that we are working together because we are still part of one family. I believe at the end of the day, we will have a process that whoever emerges will be supported by all of us.

“For us to grow this country, to have the teeming youths who are unemployed and create opportunities for them, Nigerians have come to understand that to do this, you must know how to do it. You cannot give what you don’t have. You can only give what you have.

“And the teeming youths are saying it is time for them to put in place someone who has the energy, youthfulness, capacity, capability and the knowledge to drive them to the future. It is through this that we can secure the future. It is through this that in the continent of Africa and comity of nations, Nigeria will stand high yet again.”

Saraki, who promised to unite the party by providing purposeful leadership that will make Nigerians proud of their country, was accompanied by Alhaji Abubakar Kawu Baraje, Director General, Saraki Presidential Campaign Council, Honourable Mohammed Wakil, former presidential aide, Dr. Doyin Okupe, the lawmaker representing Kogi West, Senator Dino Melaye, among others.

 

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