BBC Hausa of Thursday, 18 July 2024

Source: BBC

Dem fit replace Joe Biden as Democratic nominee and under wat conditions?

President Joe Biden don begin dey face new question over im candidacy President Joe Biden don begin dey face new question over im candidacy

President Joe Biden don begin dey face new question over im candidacy to participate for di November election afta im campaign events dey put on hold afta e test positive to Covid-19 infection.

Tori from di White House say President Biden test positive for Covid-19 and e don test positive two times before.

Mr Biden re-election attempt don already dey shake as top Democrats dey concerned afta im debate performance against Donald Trump last month, but dis Covid tori don make am pause im campaign.

Wen Mr Biden Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre tok, e say di 81-year-old president dey face mild symptoms and e go carry out "all of im duties fully" from wia e dey isolate for im Delaware home.

Call for Biden replacement

For June 2024, Biden and Trump bin go head-to-head for di first debate of di 2024 presidential election.

Di two tackle issues like abortion, di economy and foreign policy. Dem insult each oda as well, bringing up convictions as dem also call each oda names.

Before di debate, many Americans bin don express concerns about Joe Biden age and fitness for office.

Some Democratic lawmakers dey call on President Biden to end im re-election campaign.

Some House representatives, one senator and leading donors including actor George Clooney don join di call for Biden to stop im ambition.

President Biden tok say im no go continue to dey for di race as im bin dey use campaign appearances and an hour-long news conference for Nato to try to make im case.

How dem fit replace Biden?

Di party nominee go officially dey chosen for di Democratic National Convention (DNC) for Chicago between 19-22 August 2024.

Di Democrats dey hopeful to nominate Mr Biden and Vice-President Kamala Harris virtually ahead of di gathering.

Di candidate need to win support from di majority of "delegates" wey be party officials wey dey always formally choose di nominee.

Dis year, Mr Biden win almost 99% of di nearly 4,000 delegates.

According to DNC rules, those delegates dey "pledged" to support di incumbent president.

Na different tins fit happun in di coming days and weeks as to wetin go happun to Biden race.

But e get two tins wey dey certain to happun if Mr Biden campaign go end or not.

Na if Biden pull out by imsef, or im own party force am to step aside.

Di first option dey more straightforward, but di party go need to decide di second one.

Mr Biden don win di support of almost all of di Democratic delegates wey go vote for di party convention for Chicago in August.

If Biden step down, dem go get di chance to vote for anoda candidate. Anyone wey win majority of delegates for di convention go be di new nominee.

For di second option, Democrats fit change di rules and turn di convention into free-for-all against di wish of di president.

If President Biden bin voluntarily stop im campaign, e fit support a possible successor. But im still dey di race.

Di 25th Amendment

One of di conditions wey fit comot President Biden for di presidential race na di 25th Amendment of di Constitution.

Di 25th Amendment of di constitution allow di US vice-president and di majority of di cabinet to declare di president unable to perform di duties of office.

If dem use dis, power go dey transferred to di vice-president to serve as acting president.

But dis neva happun bifor for di kontri.

But afta di debate, one senior congressional Republicans call on Mr Biden cabinet make dem consider di clause for di constitution.

For 2021, wen dis kain tin wan happun, di move no dey successful. Na afta di US Capitol riot for 2021, wen di Democratic-controlled House bin approve one resolution say make di den Vice President Mike Pence use di 25th Amendment to throway Trump, e no work.

Who fit replace Biden?

Vice president Kamala Harris, na one of di strong replacement wey some congressmen don dey look.

But Harris dey far from di only alternative to Mr Biden as dem dey discuss.

Di list of potential pipo wey fit replace Biden range from a row of popular govnors.

Dem include Gretchen Whitmer of Michigan, Gavin Newsom of California, Pennsylvania Josh Shapiro and Illinois JB Pritzker.

E neva finish, Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg and California congressman Ro Khanna sef dey.

Ms Harris and her staff no gree engage in public speculation. But her team dey aware of di tins wey dey happun, behind-di-scenes conversations wey dey go on as some party members dey throw dia weight behind her.

One memo wey bin circulate online, wey be like say na Democratic operatives, write am, lay out a detailed argument to promote Ms Harris despite her “real political weaknesses”.

Republicans, too, don acknowledge say Ms Harris go be di frontrunner to replace Mr Biden.

Senator Lindsey Graham of South Carolina bin warn on Sunday say di Republicans must dey ready for a “dramatically different race” if Ms Harris – wey im describe as a “vigorous” candidate - become di nominee.