By Ben Ogbemudia, Abuja
National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Senator Iyorchia Ayu, yesterday warned those who have been endorsing presidential aspirants of the party to desist from doing so, saying the party has its internal mechanisms of selecting candidates.

He gave this warning when a leading presidential aspirant of the party, Atiku Abubakar, who had last month declared his intention to contest the 2023 presidential election, addressed members of the National Working Committee (NWC) of the party in Abuja.

Ayu said, “Let me take time to explain to Nigerians that the party has its internal mechanisms of selecting a candidate whether by consensus or by election, we do it transparently.

“Those who love our party more than us should please tarry a little, they should not select candidates for the Peoples Democratic Party. They don’t have our mandate, and we will not concede that mandate to anybody, young or an elder, who chooses by himself to choose a candidate for us.

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“Our internal processes will go ahead, and we are going ahead with it. At the end of the day, we’ll come up with a candidate chosen by the members of the Peoples Democratic Party themselves. It is that candidate that will present to the rest of Nigeria for the forthcoming elections.”

Ayu added, “You know the circumstances under which this party was founded. We fought against the dictatorship. We vowed that we work together to build democracy for our country, and to ensure that dictatorship will never raise its heads in this country. Luckily for us, for the last 24 years, the PDP has been at the forefront of building democracy for our people.”

To Atiku, the national chairman said, “Let me acknowledge the fact that you and I have been close personal friends for more than 30 years, as it was indicated. We were key players in the (defunct) Social Democratic Party, and key players in the emergence of chief MKO Abiola, an election that was free and fair. From there, we have been walking politically together.

“So, you are a presidential aspirant today. But I want people to know that you are still my friend. I can’t deny you; I never deny my friends, including those who are at the other disastrous party. You know them because even there, we have common friends who miss the road, who normally should be here with us.

“More importantly, since we formed this party, as you have mentioned, we have worked together in various capacities. It is you and I that plotted the emergence of President Obasanjo. An administration that did very well, putting Nigeria on a healthy map economically, socially, and politically. Again, I can’t deny the fact that we worked together harmoniously, whether political issues or economic issues, and on the National Security Council when I was Minister for Internal Affairs.”

*’I’ll not work for you as an aspirant, I will work for all the 17 aspirants’

Ayu added, “I’m saying this to make it clear that those who say, oh, because of my relationship with you, as chairman, I’ll work for you. Mr. Vice President, I will not work for you as an aspirant. I will work for all the 17 aspirants. It is left to you to convince the delegates of our party that you are the best. You have to market yourself, you have to work hard.

“This National Working Committee, for now, we remain an umpire. We are not going to take sides with any particular aspirants. But we love you all. I’ve said repeatedly that each one of you given the opportunity will run this country better than what APC has done or will be able to do.

“So, in that light, our delegates drawn across the 36 states plus Abuja will ultimately gather hopefully in Abuja and select one of you, and the day a candidate emerges, we will all rally around that candidate and make sure we win the presidential election next year.

“If you happen to be the choice of our delegates, all of us sitting here, the National Working Committee, will work very hard to ensure that you win the 2023 elections. And when you win, it will not be taken away again as it was in 2019.

“We appreciate the enthusiasm of those who support our party from the outside. They should continue to do so. But they don’t have our mandate to determine who will be our presidential candidate. And on that note, I want all 17 of you to continue to canvass for votes across the breadth of this country.

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“I also want to plead with you not to attack each other. You must remain as members of one family, you must continue to hold meetings and visit each other and call each other on the phone. You must continue to relate to try and create the necessary synergy because whoever emerges as a candidate will need the others to win the presidential election. No single person can on his or her own go around Nigeria and canvass for votes and win an election.”

Earlier, Atiku, a former vice-president, had asked the PDP to give presidential hopefuls on its platform a fair chance to compete in the primary poll.

Atiku described himself as the “best candidate” to win the 2023 presidential election for the party because he secured about 11 million votes in the 2019 poll.

“I urge you to provide the right kind of leadership so that the best candidate can emerge. I dare say, Mr Chairman, I am the best candidate,” he said.

The presidential hopeful said, “Under normal circumstances, this is a guy who already has 11 million votes in his space. And I think as a party, you should give me the right of first refusal.

“We are in a democracy. All I urge you is to make sure that the way you have started, you should also conclude that way by being very fair, very credible, and allow every contestant to face the election.”

Atiku lauded Ayu, as the national chairman of PDP, for having “done well by giving the party an excellent relationship, which means that this country should also expect an excellent leadership from the PDP.”

He said the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) has failed and will continue to fail, as a party.

“Come out in force and show Nigerians just how much the APC has and will continue to fail. On a comparative analysis, if you compare the PDP and the failure of APC, you know you have no other choice but the PDP,” he added.