Delegate meaning: Who be Party delegates and how dem dey pick dem?

Dis period na wen political party delegates dey shine sake of dia importance in electing candidates wey go represent dia party for di 2023 general elections.

In di build-up to di primaries and convention of di two main political parties for Nigeria, di Peoples' Democratic Parties, PDP, di All Progressives Congress, reports of how aspirants meet wit delegates to seek dia support for di process full ground.

Di new Electoral Act allow political parties to adopt different ways to elect dia flagbearers - Direct, indirect and consensus mode of primaries. Experts including Inec advise parties to adopt consensus mode to avoid wahala.

Di two main parties meanwhile, decide to use indirect primary wey allow delegates to vote for primaries.

Section 84 (8) of di act say "A political party wey adopt di system of indirect primaries for di choice of dia candidate go clearly outline dia constitution and rules di procedure for di democratic election of delegates to vote for di convention, congress or meeting."

Sake of say di parties dem decide to adopt indirect primaries wey leave am for delegates to vote for di just concluded primaries, dia role and importance for di electoral process come up and questions like who dem be, and wetin dia role be come up.

Who be party delegate?

Jikume Bethlehem wey be PDP ward delegate tell BBC Pidgin say party delegates na registered members of di party wey oda members elect so dem go fit cast dia votes for aspirants during primary elections.

Na pesin wey get highest number of votes for di primary election go represent di party for different elective positions.

According to di politician, di same pesin no fit be delegate twice except dem elect am again ahead of anoda general elections.

"Becos you be delegate today no mean say you go be delegate tomorrow except say dem elect you again. Dis na sake of say na democratic process whereby party members elect who go vote dia own candidate," di politician tok.

Bethlehem say na different delegates dey and dem include ward delegate and national delegates.

How you fit become delegate?

Delegates na card carrying members of parties and dem dey emerge through election for dia parties.

Barrister Maliki Quliya wey be PDP national delegate also shook mouth for di mata.

"Delegates na party members wey oda party members elect through democratic process to represent dem to choose who go fly di flag of di party, " Barrister Quliya tok.

Im tok say each national delegate come from di 774 local goment of Nigeria. Na dis delegate dey elect party presidential candidate.

Meanwhile, Madam Bethlehem say na three pipo per ward across di kontri dey emerge as ward delegates and one pesin per local goment across di kontri dey emerge as national delegates.

Di ward delegates na dem dey vote candidates for di House of Assembly, House of Representatives, Senate and governorship.

But di national delegates dem dey vote presidential candidate.

Di zonal vice chairman of PDP Kano North, Hashimu Sulaiman, tell BBC Pidgin say for national delegate, im party get two or three pipo from each local goment wey go seek election as delegate and only one of dem go emerge to represent dia local goment.

"We call for congresses and dey elect one from each local goment," Sulaiman tok.

E say na 44 national delegates Kano produce sake of say na 44 local goments di state get, and all di delegates go Abuja for di PDP primaries.

Delegates collect money to vote?

Sulaiman also shook mouth ontop tori wey dey circulate ontop social media about delegates wey collect money before primaries.

E tok say some of di tori dey true and some na fake news.

Sulaiman tok say delegates dey organised for Kano and dem get leadership, and na dat leadership go decide who dem go vote.

PDP national delegates vote Atiku Abubakar

On Saturday, di PDP delegates wey party members elect from local goment across di kontri vote Atiku Abubakar as dia presidential candidate for di 2023 general elections.

Na 13 aspirants, contest to be di presidential candidate of di party.

Breakdown of PDP Presidential Primaries results

Former Vice President of Nigeria, Atiku Abubakar get 371 votes.

Govnor of Rivers state Nyesom Wike record 237 votes

Former Senate President, Bukola Saraki pull 70 votes

Akwa Ibom State Governor, Emmanuel Udom score 38 votes

Bauchi State Govnor, Bala Mohammed get 20 votes

Former Senate President/SSG, Pius Anyim collect 14 votes

Tambuwal step down from PDP presidential race for Atiku

Pharmacist, Sam Ohabunwa take 1 vote

Female aspirant, Olivia Tariela take 1 vote

Publisher, Dele Momodu score 0

Former governor of Ekiti State, Ayo Fayose score 0

Lawyer, Charles Okwudili get 0