Tension may be brewing between the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and some presidential aspirants on the platform of the party, notably former military president,  General Ibrahim Babangida and former vice president, Atiku Abukakar, over the  conduct of campaign activities when the party was yet to give the green light.

President Goodluck Jonathan has recently indicated that no campaign activities would be allowed in the PDP until the guidelines were issued by the national leadership of the party.

However, General Babangida was expected to flag off his presidential campaign activities in Ibadan last Thursday but failed to show up, for undisclosed reasons at a rally that had been planned in the Oyo State capital.

Sunday Tribune learnt that General Babangida’s failure to honour the rally date might not be unconnected with the objection of the party to open presidential campaign before it made the rules available.

Party sources revealed that the need not to attract the ire of the PDP, which  could have invoked necessary sanction if the former president had been in Ibadan to campaign, apparently influenced his decision to stay away from the campaign flag-off.

”We were not informed about the presidential rally but we believe all that he is doing at the moment is holding consultations with different stakeholders, which is allowed. If that is what he is doing, he has not violated any rule,” a PDP source volunteered on Saturday.

The source added that “if, on the other hand, any aspirant is found to have gone ahead of the release of campaign guidelines to embark on a full-fledged campaign activities, it will be brought to the notice of the appropriate organs of the party for necessary action.”

This is coming as Atiku Abubakar has raised a 17-man interim campaign committee to oversee his campaign activities for the presidential election.

The committee, which was unveiled in Abuja at the weekend, is headed by one- time media spokesman to the former vice president, Mr. Chris Mamman, as Director General (DG) and it includes Bashir Yusuf as Deputy Director General and other 15 directors, including Hon. Chidi Duru, Alhaji Umar Kareto, Mr. Omar Shittien, Mr. Nath Yaduma, Dr. Ojo Onukaba, Dr. Adeolu Akande, Mal. Garba Shehu,  Hon. Greg and Mr. Timi Frank.

Apart from the campaign committee, Abubakar has also indicated his plan to set up a Presidential Advisory Committee to be made up of prominent politicians, who would work towards the realisation of his dream to pick the PDP’s presidential ticket.

Sunday Tribune learnt that Abubakar is now reviewing his policy thrust and putting final touches to his priorities, based on different sectors of the economy, for  the campaign which he hopes to structure to appeal to the youth in particular.

A member of the party’s National Working Committee (NWC), who also spoke in confidence with Sunday Tribune, confirmed that the former vice president was yet to notify the party leadership of his plans and therefore, the party would hope that what Abubakar was about to do was mere consultations with his supporters.

According to the source, “if it is just to declare their intention that they want to contest whether in PDP or any other party, they are free to do so but when we set up guidelines, the guidelines will now streamline the position, whether you fit in or you don’t. Then, it will be left for you to decide.

“Our guidelines will give a guide as to who is eligible and who is not. So, I don’t think there is any problem. We have not brought out any guideline and so, nobody can be held liable for contravening any guideline,” the source stated.

The former vice president’s spokesman, Mallam Shehu Garba, told Sunday Tribune that what the former vice president wanted to do at the moment was to declare interest, which, he noted, did not amount to kicking off the presidential campaign.

But he revealed that the issue of contravening the party’s position would be discussed by the Abubakar camp in order to ensure that no anxiety was heightened within the party.