Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), has completed the accreditation of voters at its ongoing convention in Abuja to elect its presidential candidate for the 2023 general elections.
According to the delegates’ list obtained Seen by Truetells Nigeria on Saturday, 773 delegates are confirmed in the booklet but about 810 delegates are expected to decide the fate of the aspirants.
The delegates of the party consist of one national delegate elected from each of the 774 local government areas and one special delegate per state and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) from among persons living with disabilities, making 811.
Documents seen by SaharaReporters showed that 17 delegates will be voting from Ondo State despite having 18 LGAs.
No national delegate was elected from Ese-Odo area council of the state.
All delegates emerged during the LGAs congress conducted by the party on Tuesday, May 10.
Section 84(8) of the Electoral Act states: “A political party that adopts the system of indirect primaries for the choice of its candidate shall clearly outline in its constitution and rule the procedure for the democratic election of delegates to vote at the convention, congress or meeting.”
This means only delegates elected for that purpose can vote at the convention.
The party had earlier announced that it would make use of only the three-man ad-hoc delegates elected from all the over 8,000 wards in the country and one elected national delegate per local government to pick its election candidates.
However, under the PDP’s constitution, the three-man ad-hoc ward delegates can only participate in the election of candidates for state, national assembly and gubernatorial positions and not participate in the national convention.
The aspirants participating in the convention include former vice president, Atiku Abubakar; former Senate Presidents, Bukola Saraki and Pius Anyim; Bauchi and Sokoto State Governors, Bala Mohammed and Aminu Tambuwal.
Others are ; River State Governor, Nyesom Wike; pharmacist, Sam Ohabunwa, Akwa Ibom State Governor, Emmanuel Udom, among others.
PDP Convention: Accreditation Of 773 National Delegates Completed As Voting Commences