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Nigeria opposition to announce presidential candidate
PORT HARCOURT, Nigeria, Oct 7, 2018 (BSS/AFP) – Nigeria’s main opposition
People’s Democratic Party (PDP) was expected to announce on Sunday its
candidate against President Muhammadu Buhari in the 2019 election.
Buhari, who was endorsed for a second term by his ruling All Progressives
Congress (APC) on Saturday, faces a formidable challenge from the PDP.
Some 12 candidates were jostling for the PDP presidential ticket at its
national convention in the southern oil hub of Port Harcourt, capital of
Rivers state.
At least 4,000 delegates from the 36 states and Abuja voted for the
candidates in the two-day primaries which began on Saturday.
Sorting and counting of votes started immediately after voting ended at
6:15 am (0515 GMT) on Sunday.
“The results will soon be announced and the winner who will fly the
party’s ticket against President Buhari in February, will be declared,” PDP
spokesman Kola Ologbondiyan told AFP.
The leading candidates are former vice president Atiku Abubakar, a
perennial who has made four previous attempts at the top job, Senate
president Bukola Saraki, governor of northern Sokoto state Aminu Tambuwal and
Rabiu Kwankwaso, a former governor of northern Kano state.
The Eurasia consultancy group said in a statement on Saturday that the
outcome of the PDP primary “will determine whether President Muhammadu Buhari
loses his incumbency advantage”.
It predicted the ticket would be a two-way tight race between Atiku and
Tambuwal, while Saraki could still pull off an upset despite losing his
momentum in the last few weeks.
“We continue to believe that Tambuwal offers the best chance of appealing
to the critical northwestern and northeastern voting bloc, and that he will
be Buhari’s strongest challenger.”
The PDP was ousted by Buhari’s APC in 2015 after 16 years in power, the
first opposition victory in the nation’s history.
BSS/AFP/FI/ 1542 hrs