As the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) assures that its presidential primary which holds in Port Harcourt, Rivers State on Saturday October 6 will be transparent, it has also taken a proactive step to manage a possible post-convention crisis.
Consequently, the party has resolved to that each of its presidential aspirants will sign a bond to queue behind the candidate that will emerge.
The national publicity secretary of the party, Mr. Kola Ologbondiyan, who disclosed this in an interview, explained that the move was aimed at ensuring that all aspirants accept the outcome of the poll and forestall any form of crisis after te exercise.
He also stated that despite the plot by the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) to infiltrate its ranks during the convention, it would emerge from the exercise a more united platform determined to win power at the centre in 2019.
He added that more than anything else, the aspirants were heading to the convention in confident mood, stressing, however, that they were aware that only one of them will emerge the candidate at the end of the day.
“Our resolve to conduct a free, fair, credible and acceptable convention is total and the party is fully committed to this.
‘’This week, all the presidential aspirants will sign a bond not only to accept the outcome of the process but also to support whoever emerges winner of the ticket.
“The PDP has the experience, the capacity and focus to restore our people’s confidence in this nation, having witnessed more than three and a half years of unfulfilled promises by the APC-led government,” he said.
He also said the party had put in place strategies to carry all the aspirants along in the processes of the convention.
“We are going to hold a successful convention. Arrangements have been made in such that each presidential aspirant will nominate two people to be members of the accreditation Committee for we are very concerned about the process of the convention.
“Also each of the aspirants will nominate two people to be part of the electoral committee.
“The essence of these is to showcase the transparency and the openness of the process. As a party we are very concerned about the process of the national convention primary.
“We are doing everything possible to carry everybody along. Unlike where the presidential aspirants only nominate agents, they will be part of the process to nominate members of the accreditation and electoral committee.”
He added that PDP would also publish names of all the delegates and make same available to all Presidential aspirants before the convention.
Ologbondiyan said the openness of the process was also to show that the party leadership had no interest on any of the aspirants but to allow the people to elect a winning candidate.
“We believe that all our aspirants are eminently qualified and whoever emerges from the process that will be put forward on Saturday will be such a candidate that understands the nuances of Nigeria and pains of Nigerians,” he said.
