TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - A number of Gerindra Party politicians revealed that Jakarta Deputy Governor Sandiaga Uno was pointed out as a team leader for the preparation of Prabowo Subianto`s presidential candidacy.

Deputy Chairman of Gerindra Party, Ferry Juliantono, neither denied nor admitted the team formation and the involvement of Sandiaga within. “It’s informal,” said Ferry yesterday, March 30. He just assured the party assigned Prabowo to run as a presidential candidate and is now waiting for the declaration.

Read: PKS Claims Anies Baswedan Can Lift Prabowo`s Electability

According to Ferry, the declaration might take place in National Work Meeting of Gerindra Party on April 11. Otherwise, the party might postpone it until the 2018 Regional Election finished next June.

Sandiaga Uno, who currently acts as a member of Advisory Board of Gerindra Party, reluctant to provide confirmation. “I’ll respond to it when I’m not wearing this uniform (not act as a deputy governor),” he said last Thursday.

At least two of the party’s politicians, who were not willing to be mentioned, revealed that Sandiaga Uno will be helped by five Gerindra Party leaders. The party’s sec-gen Ahmad Muzani would be the team secretary, and the members would be the deputy chairman Fadli Zon and Sufmi Dasco Ahmad; the chairman of regional leadership council (DPP) Desmond Junaidi Mahesa; and the party’s Jakarta chairman Muhammad Taufik.

Read: Prabowo Declaration as Presidential Candidate to be on April 11

The team, as reported by Tempo’s source, was assigned to study the vice presidential candidate to run with Prabowo in the upcoming election and secure the party coalition form. Furthermore, the team would conduct further examination should Prabowo walk out from the election. “Finally, the team would guard the election-winning, either legislative or presidential,” said the informant.

Sufmi was reluctant to make a statement regarding the team formation. “It’s confidential, it’s forbidden to talk about such things,” he said. Meanwhile, Muzani, Fadli, Desmond, and Taufik have yet responded to Tempo’s confirmation request.

BUDIARTI UTAMI PUTRI | HUSSEIN ABRI DONGORAN