Within the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), the National Working Committee (NWC) is awaiting judicial verdict to completely douse the tension arising from the choice of a former Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Dr Isa Pantami, as its governorship candidate in Gombe State.

Pantami, formerly a member of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), was one of the governorship aspirants on its platform in Gombe State.

However, the former minister made a last-minute defection to the PDP in May and clinched the party’s governorship ticket at a time other stakeholders in the opposition party were rooting for already existing members of the PDP.

The stakeholders, who opposed Pantami’s defection and emergence as ticket winner, filed a lawsuit against the former minister. However, the case is awaiting determination.

Investigations by the Nigerian Tribune showed that aside from the Gombe case, the PDP had largely rancour-free primaries across the states where the majority of candidates, including the presidential standardbearer, Senator Sandy Onor, emerged through consensus.

The National Publicity Secretary, Honourable Jungudo Haruna Mohammed, confirmed on Sunday that the PDP had no ticket crises to deal with or conflicts that necessitated the setting up reconciliation committees to settle aggrieved contestants.

“We had a free and fair process across the states. This is the new PDP. We did not replace the names of any winners or ask anyone to step down against their wish.

“The law provides for an appeal panel. That was the window that was used and in cases where there were any appeals, they were disposed of amicably,” he said.

Mohammed added that the names of ticket holders that emerged from the primaries had been uploaded to the portal of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in respect of the presidential and National Assembly polls.

“We are not APC. We didn’t replace or change anybody. So, we don’t need any reconciliation committee. Our process was free and fair to all,” he added.

However, Mohammed confirmed that there was a dispute in Gombe State involving Pantami, which would be resolved following the awaited judicial pronouncement.

“In the Gombe case, the court has reserved judgment. We are waiting. Apart from that, we don’t have any issues with the outcome of the primaries,” he added.

The factional camp of the PDP, the Interim National Working Committee (INWC) chaired by Dr Tanimu Turaki, also “seamlessly” settled for Mohammed Yayari as its governorship candidate in Gombe State, according to investigations.

In the Labour Party (LP), candidates emerged across the country mainly through consensus affirmation.

As of Sunday, the LP said it was not handling any disputes arising from the primaries as the names of ticket holders for the presidential and National Assembly polls had been successfully uploaded to the INEC portal.

According to the National Working Committee (NWC) of the LP, a push for reconciliation is necessary only where there are disputes.

“Ninety-nine percent (99%) of our candidates emerged through consensus arrangement. We are not handling any disputes or cases of people dragging the party to court,” the National Publicity Secretary, Mr Ken Asogwa, told the Nigerian Tribune during an interview in Abuja.

“You see, many of those issues arise when a party wants to subvert the wishes of the members by trying to change the candidates who won at the primaries.

“I am happy to announce to you that we in the Labour Party, we are not into that type of business,” Asogwa added.

He said what the party looked forward to was to kick-start campaigns for the elections ahead within the legalised timeframe. (Nigerian Tribune)

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