People’s Democratic Party (PDP) now has 13 presidential aspirants after three more, including Akwa Ibom State Governor Udom Emmanuel, a businessman, Muhammad Hayatudeen, secured nomination papers yesterday.
Some of the aspirants who have obtained a presidential nomination form under the PDP party include:
Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar
Former Senate Presidents Abubakar Bukola Saraki and Anyim Pius Anyim
Bauchi State Governor Bala Mohammed
Sokoto State Governor Aminu Waziri Tambuwal
Rivers State Governor Nyesom Wike
Publisher of Ovation International, Dele Momodu
Oliver Diana Teriela
Nwachukwu Anakwenze
With this number of candidates, the Iyorchia Ayu-led PDP has raised almost N520 million from the presidential nomination form sales.
Peter Obi, the former governor of Anambra State, has shown interest but is yet to get the form. Remember that the party fielded 12 presidential candidates in 2019 before selecting Atiku at its convention in Port Harcourt in 2018.
Following the collection of their forms, the candidates make separate speeches in which they call for exceptional steps tpdpo address the country’s insecurity challenges. They feel that Nigeria’s rising degree of insecurity has reached an abnormal level, necessitating exceptional measures to address it.
Hayatu-Deen, one of the candidates, stated, “This is a national emergency, and comprehending and dealing with this issue is not the sole domain of the armed forces or the military, and the society must be pulled in. Exceptional circumstances necessitate extraordinary answers. We must increase the number of the military, retrain, re-arm, and provide them with the necessary instruments to wage this conflict successfully.”
Another contender, Ohuabunwa, bemoaned in his own words that “our country is currently suffering in the throes of chronic retrogression and deterioration in all indicators of nationhood.”
“Unprecedented insecurity stalks the land, and citizens’ lives are at the daily mercy of all kinds of criminals across the country. Our economy is becoming increasingly degraded and disturbed, with signs such as declining Naira value, hyperinflation, disinvestment, industrial discontent, and unending borrowings.”
