The Deputy National Youth Leader of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Timothy Osadolor, has warned against adopting a consensus approach in selecting the party’s next national chairman, insisting that every member has the right to contest.
Speaking in an interview with Punch, on Monday, Osadolor said every party member has the constitutional right to contest for positions.
This comes as prominent party stakeholders are reportedly pushing for a consensus candidate ahead of the National Convention slated for November 15 in Ibadan, Oyo State.
Among those tipped for the chairmanship are former Minister of Information, Professor Jerry Gana, ex-party chairman, Kawu Baraje, and former Kaduna State Governor, Ahmed Makarfi.
Speaking on the forthcoming convention, Osadolor stated, “The truth is this, the concern was clearly stated in the country’s constitution, that we have the right to vote and be voted for. There’s no law in the country that says that if you serve one term, you cannot go for a second term.
“And as a matter of fact, conventionally speaking, incumbent people tend to get the right of first refusal before other people. So, regardless of how people feel, how these NWC members feel, they still have individual rights to assert themselves and to convince themselves.
“So, it’s up to the delegates to tell them, ‘you have done well’ or ‘you have not done well.’ Like now, nobody is going to tell the President not to contest, but Nigerians are willing to tell him that he should go home when it comes to the poll. So, if the delegates of the party feel a certain way about any member, including myself, I don’t think you can fight such a process. I believe that democracy should be allowed to flow so that you don’t end the aspirations (of others). And that is why we are going to oppose anyone who tries to truncate this process.”
On consensus, he stated, “Consensus is a dangerous democratic right. Do you want to stifle in the name of consensus? That is even more dangerous. Let anybody who believes he or she is qualified market their manifesto to the delegates, and let delegates at the convention determine who represents the vacancy.
“Therefore, anybody who wants to contest now, to avoid crisis, should also start campaigning. Everybody is from a state, everybody is from a local government, from a ward. So, let there be sensitisation, so that credible people who will not be swayed by pecuniary gains — let such people emerge and be thrown up as delegates. At the end of the day, when they are voting, they will vote along the mood of the party and the country, so that we don’t end up where we are coming from.”
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