Some of PDP presidential gladiators. Vanguard photo

By  Ademola Adegbamigbe

Delegates of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) will converge at the Velodrome of the MKO Abiola Stadium, Abuja, this Saturday, 28 May 2022 to vote for the presidential candidate of their choice.

Today’s event is unique in the sense that PDP had behaved like a house divided against itself, a development that led to the sacking of the former National Working Committee, NWC, led by Prince Uche Secondus. He was replaced by the team led by Dr Iyorchia Ayu.

The screening committee was led by Senator David Mark. In all, 17 aspirants purchased the nomination and expression of interest forms. Two were disqualified. While the former Governor of Anambra State, Mr Peter Obi threw in the towel at the dying minute and resigned from the party, two politicians were disqualified, a development that left 14 contenders.

Since Tuesday, over  810 party delegates had been arriving in Abuja for the exercise.

Notwithstanding the number of aspirants, it will be a straight fight among four heavy-weights: Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, former Vice President and 2019 presidential candidate of the PDP; Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State; and  Dr Bukola Saraki time Senate President and a past Kwara State governor and Governor Aminu Tambuwal of Sokoto.

All the gladiators:

• Former vice president, Atiku Abubakar
• Former Senate Presidents, Bukola Saraki
• Former Senate President/SSG, Pius Anyim
• Bauchi State Govnor, Bala Mohammed
• Sokoto State govnor, Aminu Tambuwal
• River State Governor, Nyesom Wike
• Publisher of Ovation, Dele Momodu
• Former former Managing Director of Nigerian International Bank (NIB), Mohammed Hayatu-Deen
• Pharmacist, Sam Ohabunwa
• Akwa Ibom State Governor, Emmanuel Udom
• Female aspirant, Olivia Tariela
• Former governor of Ekiti State, Ayo Fayose
• Lawyer, Charles Okwudili
• Chikwendu Kalu