It is unclear how this latest twist and turn will play out within the party, which had sought to eliminate division by choosing to have no primaries. With today’s development, the party seems to be poised to face that prospect.
Facing public embarrassment, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) said on Monday it has extended until Thursday the window by which opponents of President Goodluck Jonathan may acquire presidential nomination forms.
Late last week, the party said it had in fact printed only one such form, for Mr. Jonathan, who had been “endorsed” by its principal organs.
Two presidential aspirants, Dr. Abdul-Jhalil Tafawa-Balewa and Prof. Akasoba Duke-Abiola, had paid for the forms but the party refused to sell the forms to them.
The PDP’s sudden change of heart was announced today by party spokesperson, Olisa Metuh, who said the deadline for the purchase and collection of all nomination forms has been extended to November 6.
“All aspirants who paid for nomination forms, including the Presidential Form but yet to collect same, should come to the PDP National Secretariat, Wadata Plaza, Wuse Zone 5, Abuja with verifiable evidence of payment for purposes of collection of their forms," he said in a statement.
Mr. Jonathan picked up his form last Thursday, two days after the other two interested party members were denied.
It is unclear how this latest twist and turn will play out within the party, which had sought to eliminate division by choosing to have no primaries. With today’s development, the party seems to be poised to face that prospect. It is also expected that other interested parties within the party will be buying the forms by Thursday, if only to interject themselves into the suddenly-vibrant marketing opportunity of confronting Jonathan within PDP.
In the states, the party also announced last week that first-term governors will receive automatic nomination. With today’s development, it seems that provision has also been overtaken in the PDP’s never ending search for a mechanism that accommodates its various interests.