PDP primary: Fayose, Dele Momodu — presidential hopefuls who had zero vote

It was a moment filled with suspense as Douye Diri, Bayelsa state governor, was counting the delegate votes at the presidential primary election of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on Saturday. 

During the run-up to the PDP presidential primary election, 17 hopefuls showed interest in becoming the standardbearer of the party in the 2023 presidential election. Out of the 17, two were unsuccessful during the screening process.  

Of the 15 hopefuls who passed the screening stage, Mohammed Hayatu-deen, a banker and former managing director of the now-defunct FSB International Bank, withdrew from the race before the commencement of the exercise. He alleged that the contest was “obscenely monetised”.

While addressing the delegates at the venue hours before the voting process, Aminu Tambuwal, Sokoto governor, withdrew from the race and asked his supporters to vote for former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar.

At the end, Atiku clinched the presidential ticket of the party with 371 votes to best Nyesom Wike, Rivers governor, who had 237 votes. Bukola Saraki, former senate president, polled 70 votes; Bala Mohammed, Bauchi governor, — 20 votes; Udom Emmanuel, Akwa Ibom governor — 38 votes; Pius Anyim –14 votes, and Sam Ohuabunwa, a single vote.

However, no vote was recorded for some hopefuls despite participating actively in the contest. 

PRESIDENTIAL HOPEFULS WHO GOT NO VOTE

AYODELE FAYOSE

It was speculated that Fayose would drop out of the race as he did in 2019, but he did not. However, he did not record any vote.

Fayose was unable to secure the mandate of 16 Ekiti delegates in the exercise. He is believed to have done a deal with Wike as he did not campaign at all.

Speaking on Saturday before the presidential primary election, Fayose said he had beaten incumbents in the past and would floor Buhari in a “landslide victory” — but the president is not on the ballot for the 2023 elections.

“A two-time governor of Ekiti with a clean record of only Nigerian to defeat an incumbent twice,” he said. 

DELE MOMODU

TheCable reported a TV interview where Bob-Dee, as he is fondly called, said he lacks the financial capacity to compete with Wike and Atiku on the PDP presidential ticket.

Momodu, publisher of Ovation magazine, said he is relying on his strategy of interfacing with people and his interactions on social media to win the ticket.

In the interview, he said during the 2019 presidential primaries, he would enter rooms of delegates to ‘give them published roadmap and a copy of Ovation magazine’. 

But in a sheer branding of what could be described as ‘failed by money, failed by strategies’, Bob-Dee failed to secure a single vote to prove his strategy. 

Other hopefuls who had zero vote are Olivia Tariela, the only female presidential hopeful in the race; Charles Okwudili, a lawyer, and Chikwendu Kalu.