2023 PDP Presidential Primary: Live Updates, Results from National Stadium, Abuja

CityNews Nigeria brings you the 2023 PDP Presidential Primary: Live Updates, Results from National Stadium, Abuja.

The PDP National Organizing committee for the presidential primaries said accreditation for the convention will start by 6 am on Saturday.

But at the filing in this update journalists and other stakeholders who stormed the party headquarters at Wuse Zone Five were still waiting for accreditation.

The NWC of the party were said to be locked in a meeting at the time of writing this report.

The officials on the ground have refused to speak on the real situation of things

Party officials settle down for commencement

Traffic gridlock around National Stadium Abiola, Abuja as activities steady kick off around its vicinity for the main opposition primaries.

Heavy security at Moshood Abiola Stadium, venue of presidential primary election

Hayatu-Deen withdraws from presidential race

One of the presidential aspirants of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Mohammed Hayatu-Deen, had pulled out of the race for the party’s sole ticket.

The former Managing Director of FSB International Bank, announced his withdrawal from the race in a letter addressed to Dr Iyorchia Ayu, National Chairman of the PDP.

Recall that Peter Obi, a frontline aspirant of the party had earlier withdrawn from the presidential race and resigned from the party.

However, Hayatu-Deen has said he is not leaving the remain opposition party.

His letter reads, “I have been a keen observer of Nigerian politics for so many decades, but have not been opportuned to actively participate in party politics due to my engagements in managing critical public and private institutions, among others.

“I have observed with great concern and sorrow the recent rapid deterioration of all aspects of our national life – characterised by increasing poverty, religious intolerance, banditry and kidnapping, monumental oil theft, corruption, mismanagement of national assets, communal and religious strifes and near collapse of public services and public institutions.

“During my recent nationwide trips, I came face to face with angry and hungry youths, children, boys and girls abandoned by their states who ought to provide them with education and vocational training. These had become the recruiting grounds of criminals, religious and political extremists.

“I planned to ensure that the great potential that had become the hallmark of Nigeria’s development paradigm, should be actualized during our presidency. We planned to make Nigeria the continental economic powerhouse which would guarantee high quality of life to the vast majority of our citizens.

“I planned to provide peace by ending insurgency of all types occasioned by the absence of a robust and coherent plan and lack of engagements with those involved and by improving the capacity of our intelligence services, the armed forces, the police and paramilitary services.

“I planned to put a final stop to the incessant closure of our universities and other public institutions due to strikes. As we speak, another round of strikes is going on and nobody knows when our public universities would be opened.

“It is because of the foregoing that I found it morally compelling to introduce myself into the political space in order to provide tangible solutions to these problems.

“I was driven by passion and commitment to the cause of salvaging our country which is on the verge of collapse.

“My exposure locally and internationally and contributions to the nation’s economic and political-well being positioned me to take up the challenges facing our dear nation and – the courage to participate in this grueling exercise which most of our elites have shunned away from. Regrettably the political system has proved to be acrimonious, corrupt and self-serving.

“For the past three months I had the privilege of intensively interacting with Nigerians from all walks of life. This reinforces my resolve that Nigeria MUST BE saved, otherwise our future is doomed.

“I joined the contest as a democrat, with an open mind to keenly contest and accept the result of a process that is fair, credible and transparent.

“We have endeavoured to forge a consensus which would have facilitated a seamless emergence of a candidate which unfortunately could not be achieved.

“I wish to reiterate that I did not join party politics and to contest for the presidency because of personal gains and inordinate ambition, but in order to serve our country.

“It is therefore based on personal principles and with great humility that I have decided after wide consultations to withdraw from this contest which has been obscenely monetized.

“I wish to thank all my supporters, especially those from my state, well-wishers, friends, family, the extraordinary hardworking young men and women of our campaign organization, the party leadership and members for their tremendous support which enabled us to contribute within this short period towards changing the character and direction of the Nigerian political landscape.

“Finally, as a very loyal party member and believer in the democratic process, I will continue to avail myself and my teeming supporters at all times to ensure victory of our great party.”

The stage is set for the PDP’s National Convention on Saturday at the Velodrome of the Moshood Abiola Stadium, Abuja.

Ad hoc delegates for the presidential primary election of the main opposition Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, are all but set to elect the party’s flagbearer for the 2023 presidential election.

Most of the presidential aspirants went round the 36 states of the country, including the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja to lobby these delegates.

And there are also reports of financial inducement and buying of delegates by most of these aspirants, but be it as it may, all is set for the election.

The battle for the opposition party’s sole ticket seems to be majorly between Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State, former Vice President, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar and former Senate President, Bukola Saraki.

These three and eleven others will share a total number of 810 delegates’ votes, coming across the 36 states of the federation and the FCT.

PDP sold 17 forms to its presidential aspirants and about 14 of them are still in the race after two were disqualified during the screening and Peter Obi’s resignation yesterday.

Popular among those still hoping to grab the party’s sole ticket are Bauchi State Governor, Bala Mohammed, former Ekiti State Governor, Ayodele Fayose, former Managing Director of FSB International Bank, Dr. Mohammed Hayatu-Deen, Publisher, Ovation International, Chief Dele Momodu, Sokoto State governor, Aminu Waziri Tambuwal and Akwa Ibom State Governor, Udom Emmanuel, among others.

Follow this thread for updates and results from the PDP presidential aspirants holding in Abuja.