A survey of delegates of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has indicated legal icon and distinguished administrator, Kabiru Tanimu Turaki, SAN, as the preferred choice to fly the party’s flag during the 2019 presidential polls.

Conducted by the Abuja-based Integrated Marketing Concept (IMC), the survey involved a sample size of ten delegates from each of the 36 states of the federation and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Abuja, who were asked to rate the chances of the frontline aspirants seeking the party’s presidential ticket at the National Convention underway in Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital.

The respondents were asked to rate the strengths and weaknesses of each major aspirant based on 12 broad parameters, namely: Integrity/Antecedents; Credibility/Pedigree; Education/Knowledge; Age/Youthfulness/Dynamism; Health condition; Non- controversial; Excess baggage/Court cases/Perception of corruption; Bridge building capacity; Reliability/Loyalty; Liberalism/Flexibility; Character/social life; and Experience Private/Public sector.

A holistic analysis of the results coupled with the appearances in almost all the permutations with regards to the criteria used to determine the suitability and competence of each candidate, showed Turaki SAN in the lead, beating other heavyweights like former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, Senate President Bukola Saraki and Governor Aminu Tambuwal.

Below are details of the scores:

INTEGRITY/ANTECEDENTS

a) Turaki SAN 46%

b) Tambuwal 22%

c) Atiku 10%

d) Saraki 8%

e) Dankwambo 5%

f) Kwankwaso 9%.

CREDIBILITY/PEDIGREE

a) Turaki SAN 40%

b) Tambuwal 20%

c) Kwankwaso 12%

d) Atiku 8%

e) Saraki 4%

f) Makarfi 4%

g) Lamido 2%

EDUCATION/KNOWLEDGE

a) Saraki 30%

b) Turaki SAN 30%

c) Dankwambo 15%

d) Datti Ahmed 10%

e) Ahmed Makarfi 10%

f) Atiku 5%

AGE/YOUTHFULNESS/DYNAMISM

a) Saraki 25%

b) Tambuwal 21%

c) Dankwambo 20%

d) Turaki SAN 20%

e) Kwankwaso 10%

f) Datti Ahmed 4%

HEALTH CONDITION

a) Saraki 25%

b) Tambuwal 25%

c) Turaki SAN 25%

d) Kwankwaso 15%

e) Datti 10%

NON-CONTROVERSIAL

a) Turaki SAN 45%

b) Datti 35%

c) Makarfi 20%

EXCESS BAGGAGE/COURT CASES/PERCEPTION OF CORRUPTION Respondents agreed that most of the aspirants have either perception of corruption-hanging on their heads, excess baggage or court cases of monumental proportions except the following – each of them scoring an average of 20%:

a) David Mark

b) Tambuwal

c) Turaki SAN

d) Dankwambo

e) Datti Ahmed

BRIDGE BUILDING CAPACITY

All the respondents believe that all the aspirants are eminently qualified to build bridges of friendships and confidence across the various divides in the country.

RELIABILITY/LOYALTY

Respondents based their arguments on those who remained steadfast and loyal to the party in spite of all odds and the following were adjudged qualified as reliable and loyal, each of them scoring 20% when the results were analysed:

a) Sule Lamido

b) Dankwambo

c) Makarfi

d) David Mark

e) Turaki SAN

LIBERALISM/FLEXIBILITY

Here again respondents were generous to the aspirants, with each of the following getting a 20% score:

a) Dankwambo

b) Tambuwal

c) Bafarawa

d) David Mark

e) Turaki SAN

CHARACTER/SOCIAL LIFE

Few respondents were of the view that with the level of their social standing in life majority of the aspirants qualify as socialites. However, in terms of strong character only about seven aspirants made the list, viz:

a) Kwankwaso

b) David Mark

c) Turaki SAN

d) Makarfi

e) Sule Lamido

f) Atiku

g) Saraki

EXPERIENCE IN PUBLIC/PRIVATE LIFE

The following were deemed to be experienced, each of them scoring 20%:

a) David Mark

b) Makarfi

c) Turaki SAN

d) Dankwambo

e) Atiku

The PDP Convention started on Saturday morning at Adokiye Amiesimaka Stadium in Port Harcourt, with the presidential primaries as the main highlight. In all, 13 aspirants from various parts of the North – to which the ticket has been zoned by the party –are in contention. Whoever among them eventually gets the party’s mandate will square off with President Muhammadu Buhari of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in next year’s presidential ballot.

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