PDP chair: Governors cave in to Jonathan

[DT]

Governors in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) have resolved to support whoever President Goodluck Jonathan decides to anoint in the race for the party's national chairman. The convention to elect the chairman comes up on March 24.

Adamawa State governor Murtala Nyako gave this indication yesterday after a meeting between President Jonathan, Vice President Namadi Sambo and the four PDP governors from North East to which post has been zoned at the presidential villa in Abuja. Speaking to State House correspondents after the meeting which took place between 10am and 12noon yesterday, Nyako confirmed that the governors were in the State House to find out from the president whom he would like to become the national chairman of the party since he was the leader of the PDP.

"The question is who the president wants.  Whoever the president wants, we should support.  Just like in my state, they should concede to me who I should like to see in the leadership of the party. The person should be somebody who is electable, who is marketable, somebody who the voters can vote for in the primary," Nyako said.

The meeting was attended by Vice President Sambo, Governor Murtala Nyako of Adamawa, Isa Yuguda of Bauchi, Ibrahim Dankwambo of Gombe and Danbaba Suntai of Taraba State.

Our correspondent also sighted former governor of defunct Gongola State Alhaji Bamanga Tukur coming out with the governors. Tukur is one of the foremost contenders for the chairmanship job.

When asked whether Tukur met the requirements he mentioned, Nyako said the question should be directed at the president. "Ask Mr. President now. It is his decision. Why are you asking me? Am I not a small man from Adamawa? I am just one state out of 36 and FCT but I assure you we will do well."

Nyako maintained that it was better to reach a consensus on the national chairmanship candidate rather than wait till the convention day. "It is only better than to go and get 2/3 majority. It is not easy.  So, this consensus adds to the unity of the party and also it is easier for us and less costly," he said.

According to him, "you know Mr. President is the leader of the party in the country.  Just like me in Adamawa State, I am the leader of the party in my state and when it comes to the question of top leadership of the party in my state, definitely I should consider certain things."

He, however, said the issue of consensus should not stop any other aspirants from going ahead to contest the position if they so desired as he added "if they want to contest, they can contest. It does mean that will make you the candidate."

Yesterday's meeting was apparently to fine tune the consensus arrangement, following the one held on Sunday between Vice President Namadi Sambo and governors of the PDP from the North West Zone over the same issue where the Vice President sought to advance the administration's desire to see the emergence of a consensus candidate.

The leadership of the National Assembly including Senate President David Mark, Deputy Senate President Ike Ekweremadu, Speaker of the House of Representatives Aminu Tambuwal, and his Deputy, Emeka  Ihedioha, were also sighted in State House around the time of meeting even though it was not clear whether their presence was connected with the race for the PDP post.

In his remarks to State House correspondents after the meeting, Tukur, who revealed that he was invited to come to the State House, said members of the party would decide who becomes the national chairman during the convention. He said he was going ahead with his campaign to sell his candidature.

Tukur said he had sought the support of President Jonathan as well as PDP state governors just as he was doing with other members of the party but added that it was up to them to make up their minds.

He said race should not be foreclosed to others, arguing, "it is a competition. It is good, the more the merrier. We want to deepen democracy. Everybody who believes they have solution or improvement for our party; let them come."

Meanwhile, the North-Central Caucus of the PDP consisting governors and top politicians from the region held a meeting at the Abuja residence of Senate President David Mark on how to re-zone the positions of National Legal Adviser and National Youth Leader zoned to North-Central geo-political zone.

The meeting, attended by governors from the zone and former Deputy Senate President Ibrahim Mantu among others, was said to have discussed issues concerning consensus national chairmanship candidacy in PDP in order to present a common position at the Convention.

On Sunday, few PDP governors from the North and the South-South met on how to speak with one voice on the consensus candidacy particularly as it relates to the positions of the party's national chairman and national secretary whose occupants have to be nominated from the six geo-political zones.

The governors, who attended the late night meeting held at Rivers State Governors' Lodge, included the host and Rivers State Governor Rotimi Amaechi; Bayelsa State Governor Henry Seriake Dickson; Niger State Governor Muazu Babangida Aliyu and Bauchi State Governor Isa Yuguda.

DailyTrust