PDP makes U-turn, opens 2015 presidential race to other aspirants

The Peoples Democratic Party on Monday called on aspirants interested in contesting the 2015 presidential election to come forward to the party`s national secretariat to pick the nomination and expression of interest forms, in what is a reversal of its policy of having only President Goodluck Jonathan as its only presidential aspirant.

This is contained in a statement issued by Mr Olisa Metuh, the party’s National Publicity Secretary in Abuja.

“All aspirants who paid for nomination forms, including the Presidential Form, but yet to collect same should come to the PDP National Secretariat with verifiable evidence of payment for purposes of collection of their forms,’’ the statement said.

It, however, said aspirants to all positions for the 2015 general elections should note that the deadline for the purchase and collection of all nomination forms had been extended to November 6.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the PDP National Executive Committee (NEC) and its other organs had earlier adopted President Goodluck Jonathan as the party`s sole presidential candidate for 2015 presidential election.

It would be recalled that Dr. Abdul Jhalil Tafawa-Balewa, son of Nigeria`s first Prime Minister, Alhaji Abubakar Tafawa-Balewa, had earlier paid for the PDP presidential forms to contest the election in 2015.

Prof. Akasuba Abiola, wife of late business mogul, M.K.O. Abiola was also at the party`s headquarters earlier to pick the forms for the presidency.

The two aspirants had alleged at separate interviews with newsmen that though they paid the required fees to purchase the forms, the PDP leadership denied them the forms.

The National Executive Committee of the PDP, had on September 18 adopted President Jonathan as its sole candidate for the 2015 election.

It thereafter declined to sell presidential nomination forms to aspirants interested in the position.