While speaking in an exclusive interview with Premium Times, Walid Jibrin, the chairman the PDP Board of Trustees, urged Atiku Abubakar to be ready to play by the rules once he rejoins the party in the coming days.
Recall that the presidential hopeful, Atiku Abubakar, dumped the ruling All Progressives Congress on Friday morning and there are strong indications of his imminent arrival at the major opposition party, the Peoples Democratic Party
Jibrin, a former senator from Nasarawa State, said the PDP field of presidential contenders has expanded in recent weeks, and Atiku should expect a rigorous competition for the party's ticket.
He said the PDP is expecting him, but first, the former former vice-president "must subject himself to all the constitutional instruments of the party" if he "really wants to be president" by 2019, Jibrin said by telephone.
He said most of the presidential hopefuls that have expressed their intention since the party 'zoned' its presidential ticket to the north are political heavyweights.
"All our candidates are very strong and the former vice-president is going to meet some interesting challengers," Jibrin added.
Sule Lamido and Ibrahim Shekarau are amongst those who have commenced 2019 consultations in recent weeks on the platform of the PDP. Atiku is expected to join the party at his ward in his home state of Adamawa in the coming days.
His registration would be in time for his participation at the PDP's national convention scheduled for December 9 in Abuja. Members are also expected to elect a substantive chairman for the party at the convention.
Jibrin said he won't back three of the eight chairmanship candidates who are members of the BOT. "As leaders of the party, we're supposed to play down on our personal political ambitions," the PDP chieftain said.
Tunde Adeniran, Bode George and Uche Secondus are members of the PDP Board of Trustees, which has long been dubbed the conscience of the party.
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