Despite the series of backlash generated by the emergence of former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar, as presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), a chieftain of the party, High Chief Raymond Dokpesi, has insisted the choice was not within the dictate of PDP’s constitution.

For instance, those insisting that it is the turn of a southern candidate to fly the PDP presidential flag, argued that the party’s constitution clearly provides for rotational term of candidate.

Dopksi, however, dismissed the claim, just as he maintained that Atiku’s candidacy for the presidential race in 2023 general elections is situated within the context of the party constitution.

Dokpesi, in an interview with journalists in Kano, clarified that contrary to insinuation, the party constitution allows Northern Nigeria to present a presidential candidate up to 2027.

The Benin High Chief had rather blamed former President Goodluck Jonathan for
jettisoning an established order, adding that he foreclosed the chances of the South when he returned to power in 2011.

According to him, “In 2015 when President Goodluck Jonathan was angling to contest elections, I personally wrote to him and asked him not to do so, to either go on vacation after completing YarAdua’s tenure or join the incoming government, so that he can come back and complete his full eight years.

“But he was advised otherwise and adhered to that, and that is what led to the crises we have today and what also allowed the North to continue producing the President till 2027.”

Dokpesi further said, “I have been a member of the PDP from inception, I read and I know every stage of the party activities. Out of the 16 years the PDP rule, the North served only two years, that was why I opposed Jonathan in 2015 when he was running for elections. I told him he should allow the North to complete their eight years then he will have his full eight years after resting for a while.

“So it is not true that it is the turns of the South in PDP, what Jonathan did was what brought about the crises which some people are pushing up,” Dokpesi explained.

He said the truth is that some social media handlers are worried that it is not possible for the North to have the chairman of the party, presidential candidate and board of trustees chairman and maybe the campaign director general also from the North.

“Now it is because we are not situating issues at their proper perspective. The truth of the matter is that the PDP has a constitution and it has said that people are elected and rotated on eight years basis.

“So in 2019 that was when the PDP started its rotations, From that year up to 2027, the North is supposed to still present the president under PDP so there is nothing wrong in Atiku Abubakar’s candidacy and we are not in 2027 yet we are still in 2023.

“We lost the 2015 elections because we didn’t adhere to rotational presidency and since then what has changed, the media mogul stated.

Dokpesi was in Kano alongside Atiku and national leaders of the opposition to formerly welcome former Kano State Governor, Ibrahim Shekarau back to PDP.