Presidential aspirants of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) have rejected the Port Harcourt venue of the party’s national convention slated for October 6.

The presidential candidate of the party is expected to emerge at the convention.

The aspirants have suggested alternative venues for the all-important exercise.

The aspirants are reportedly uncomfortable with the party’s plan to hold the convention in Port Harcourt.

The governors, it was learnt, had picked Port Harcourt against Enugu or Akwa Ibom, earlier suggested, on the grounds that Port Harcourt had more hotels than the other states.

Port Harcourt was chosen when the PDP governors and the National Working Committee (NWC) held a meeting with the aspirants on Thursday.

According to a source who was at the meeting, “The issue of where to hold the convention came up. Enugu, Akwa Ibom, and Rivers states were suggested, but Rivers State was selected.

“Enugu and Akwa Ibom were discarded because they were said not to have enough hotels to accommodate the people that would come for the convention. Rivers State has enough accommodation; that was why it was selected.”

In that meeting, the governors had also kicked against the issue of consensus candidate, adding that all the aspirants should go to the field to slug it out.

It was further gathered that in the meeting, one of the aspirants, Atiku Abubakar, had raised an eyebrow over the Port Harcourt venue for the convention.

Atiku, it was learnt, said he hoped that “this is not a predetermined convention since it is going to Port Harcourt.”

Speaking with our correspondent, a source close to the PDP Governors’ Forum and the aspirants said the aspirants were asking for a different venue.

“They are asking for a different venue. Among the states being considered are Lagos, Delta, and Akwa Ibom.”

The 13 presidential aspirants vying for the PDP presidential ticket are former Vice President Atiku Abubakar; Sokoto State governor, Aminu Tambuwal; Gombe State governor, Ibrahim Dankwabo; Senate President Bukola Saraki; former governor of Jigawa State, Sule Lamido; former governor of Kaduna State, Ahmed Makarfi, and a former Special Duties Minister, Tanimu Turaki.

Others are former President of the Senate, David Mark; former governor of Kano State, Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso; former governor of Sokoto State, Attahiru Bafarawa; former Plateau State governor, Jonah Jang; Senator Baba Datti Ahmed, and Stanley Osifo.

•Excerpted from a Daily Independent report

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