Bukola Saraki is set to seek re-elelection in the National Assembly as his name was submitted by the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) as the party’s candidate to contest for the seat of Kwara Central senatorial district in the 2019 general elections.
Saraki had contested for the PDP’s presidential ticket but came a distant third to second-placed Sokoto State governor, Aminu Tambuwal, and winner, Atiku Abubakar, a former vice president, at the party’s national convention that concluded on October 7, 2018.
Before his loss two weeks ago, there had been a rumour making the rounds that the former Kwara governor was still keeping an eye on his senatorial seat in case he lost the presidential ticket.
The rumour gained even more momentum after there was some suspicious secrecy surrounding the winner of the ticket in the party’s primary election for the Kwara Central seat.
In accordance with the deadline of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to submit the list of candidates for presidential and legislative elections next year, the PDP submitted its list to the commission on Thursday, October 18, and Saraki is reportedly on the list.
According to a report by The Punch, Saraki’s name was used to replace the name of one Ope, whose name was initially filed as the PDP candidate for the senatorial district.
“Bukola Saraki’s name is there (on the list). He’s returning to the Senate on the platform of the PDP,” a source said.
It was also reported that Saraki is being positioned by the PDP to be re-elected as Senate President, especially if Atiku defeats President Muhammadu Buhari of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the 2019 presidential election.
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