PDP moves to woo Dangote for 2019 presidential election

- The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) may have settled for Aliko Dangote as their presidential candidate

- The party is said to have sent emissaries to woo the billionaire businessman

 - Dangote is expected to contest for the 2019 presidential election under the platform of the PDP

There are indications that the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) might be settling for Africa's most richest man Aliko Dangote for its 2019 presidential campaigns.

Daily Times reports that the PDP is already making plans to woo the billionaire to contest for 2019 presidency under its platform.

NAIJ.com gathered that the party having zoned the presidency to north also have its national chairmanship slot for the south.

A PDP source said the party's decision to reach out to Dangote comes with its focus to win the 2019 presidential election.

The source said the party has already sent emissary to Dangote after members of the PDP's think tank committee constituted by the former president Goodluck Jonathan made the recommendation.

“I can confidently tell you that the PDP has made overtures to Alhaji Aliko Dangote to come and fly the presidential flag of our party for the 2019 presidential election."

“So many things were taken into consideration before the party arrived at this decision. Alhaji Dangote has the clout, the pedigree, the name, the follower-ship and above all the financial war chest to match any presidential candidate that the governing All Progressives Congress (APC) or any other party may be bringing forward in 2019," the source said.

Also, findings by Daily Times showed that, the billionaire businessman have in the past made contributions to the emergence of other past presidents.

The billionaire businessman is also said to have contributed to have spent about N37 billion in 2015 during the President Muhammadu Buhari's presidential ambition.

A source said: “If Dangote can make financial contributions to ensure the emergence of other past Presidents in the country in the past, don’t you think he will be willing and ready to spend any amount to realise his own presidential ambition if he accepts the overture from the PDP?"

“This is one of the reasons why the PDP made the overtures to him (Dangote) and we sincerely hope and pray that he accepts it. If he does, the journey to the Aso Rock presidential villa for the PDP in 2019 would have been made less stressful and less thorny."

However, a member of Ahmed Makarfi-led national caretaker committee of the PDP said it is early for comments on such issue.

Also, a close source to Dangote who spoke under anonymity said the businessman is not interested in politics.

The source said: “The attempt to woo him will fail because Dangote is not interested in politics. He is a businessman to the core and what you just asked me to react to is a distraction.

“The PDP should go and look elsewhere for its candidate for 2019 as Dangote is committed to his core vision and desire to invest and create jobs to the people."

Obaze, a former secretary to the Anambra state government, scored 672 out of the votes from a total of 958 delegates.

He won the ticket ahead of Capital Oil boss Ifeanyi Ubah and a former minister of aviation and Senator at the National Assembly Stella Oduah.