The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on Friday fixed October 5 and 6 for its presidential primary.
As part of moves to ensure a smooth internal electoral process, the party also mandated all the aspirants on its platform to sign an undertaking that they will abide by the outcome of the primary.
Also, the party said that the aspirants would give a commitment to the party not to defect to other political parties either before or after the primary.
A number of politicians have already declared their intention to run for the presidency in the PDP.
They include former Vice President Atiku Abubakar; a former governor of Kano State, Rabiu Kwankwaso; Senator Jonah Jang; Senate President Bukola Saraki; Governor Aminu Tambuwal of Sokoto State; Governor Ibrahim Dankwambo of Gombe State; a former Minister of Special Duties and Inter Governmental Relations, Alhaji Tanimu Turaki (SAN); a former governor of Jigawa State, Alhaji Sule Lamido; a former governor of Sokoto State, Alhaji Attahiru Bafarawa; and Dr. Ahmed Datti.
All these politicians are expected to sign the undertaking.
Already, the National Working Committee of the party said it had met with the aspirants during which they were told that the party would not favour any of the aspirants for the party’s presidential ticket.
The National Publicity Secretary of the party, Mr. Kola Ologbondiyan, who spoke in Abuja on Friday, said that all the aspirants had been informed about the need to have what he called “code of conduct” ahead of the primary.
The party had informed the aspirants that the undertaking, which it said would be binding on them, would be put together by the party’s national leadership.
Ologbondiyan said that the party had already started drafting the undertaking, which he also referred to as Memorandum of Understanding.
He said, “It is an undertaking and it will be signed by all our presidential aspirants. The undertaking will tell the aspirants what the party expects.
“The undertaking will make it clear that all the signatories must abide by the decision of the party concerning the primary.
“The party is already preparing it and I want to say again that it will be binding on all those that are taking part in the presidential primary and are signatories to the MOU.
“However, I want to make it clear that the party is not into any illegal act. We are going to organise a transparent, free and fair presidential primary, whose outcome will be acceptable to our party, the contestants and the electorate,” the party spokesperson said.
