A member of the PDP Board of Trustees, Chief Ebenezer Babatope, said he believed the party should do whatever was necessary to win the presidential election.
He said, “The National Executive Council has not reacted to the zoning committee’s report, but having said that, I’m one of those who believe that whatever will save the people of Nigeria from the misrule of the APC should be adopted by the PDP.
“We are waiting for NEC to decide, and if they say it will be thrown open, that’s okay. We will then have to work hard to ensure that the person who emerges will not create for us another pair of the APC misrule. People are now praying that the tenure of this government should be over.”
Asked if he feels that southern aspirants should come together to boost their chances, Babatope said it was best if everyone contested the primary.
He stated, “I won’t advocate that arrangement. What is important for us is to produce a candidate that will be able to ensure that we win the election for the good of Nigeria.
“This country is very important to us. One thing being said is that the South-East has not produced the president of this country. I’m not saying they should produce a candidate now, but if we have a good candidate from there, fine. We want this country to remain one, but the APC misrule is so terrible and it should be stopped at all cost.”
He called on INEC to guarantee free and fair elections, adding, “Let INEC give us a free and fair election so Nigerians can have a good government and let Buhari be the last person on this age debate, in which case all of us above 75 should please take a rest so that the younger ones can participate. Our party is firmly rooted in the belief that Nigeria must remain a united country.
When asked to comment on the recommendations of the Ortom-led zoning committee that the ticket should be thrown open, Paul Ibe, a media aide to Atiku, said it would be unfair to speak on the issue when the NEC had yet to take a position on the committee’s report.
“It will be procedurally wrong to speak on it. NEC constituted the committee and we read from the media that the committee has presented its report to NEC, which has to deliberate on it and take a position. Until that is done, it will be premature to speak on the issue,” he stated.
