The ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is still battling to ensure that stakeholders from the North-East geo-political zone produce a consensus candidate for the position of the party's National Chairman.
There are strong indications that key political figures in the ruling party are keeping a closer look on the candidacy of either Alhaji Bamanga Tukur or Senator Mohammed Abba Aji as consensus candidate at the March 24 National Convention. The decision followed the inability of the party's governors from the North-East geo-political zone to reach an agreement on who will be the sole candidate for the position of PDP National Chairman.
Tukur, the Chairman of the Africa Business Roundtable, had already been endorsed by key party stakeholders like former PDP Board of Trustees (BOT) chairman Chief Tony Anenih, former party national chairmen Chief Bernabas Gemade and Dr Ahmadu Ali, Senator Anyim Pius Anyim, Prof. Jerry Gana and former Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives Usman Bayero Nafada among others.
Tukur was accompanied to PDP National Secretariat to submit his form on Thursday last week by new BOT Secretary Senator Walid Jibril, PDP National Vice Chairman; North Central Alhaji Yusuf Ayitogo, Senator
Ibrahim Mantu, Senator Wash Pam and former National Chairman of the National Democratic Party (NDP); who is the Director General of his campaign organization Alhaji Habu Fari among others.
Daily Trust gathered that Tukur has also received the support of the party's BOT Chairman and former President; Chief Olusegun Obasanjo whose past record on the promotion of internal democracy has always been a subject of controversy.
It was however learnt that the candidacy of former presidential adviser Senator Abba Aji from Borno State, which is believed to have received the backing of President Goodluck Jonathan may still change the political calculation.
The entrance of one of the longest serving ministers under Obasanjo administration Mallam Adamu Bello from Adamawa State is also seen as another joker by those who believe that he will be a unifying candidate should the candidacy of Tukur or Abba Aji fails to sail through.
Other aspirants in the race are PDP National Secretary Dr Musa Babayo; PDP National Publicity Secretary Prof. Rufai Ahmed Alkali; former Minister of Commerce, Alhaji Idris Waziri; former Minister of Agriculture, Alhaji Shettima Mustapha.
The rest are: former national chairman of the defunct Grassroots Democratic Movement, Alhaji Gambo Lawan, former Bauchi State governor; Alhaji Adamu Mu'azu; a former Minister of Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Alhaji Bunu Sheriff and a lawyer, Ibrahim Birma.
DailyTrust