Intrigues, As PDP Holds Convention Today

[TGD]

 Convention Panel Insists On Voting

Governors, President Disagree on Consensus Candidate

5,000 Delegates Expected

ALL is set for today's national convention of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Abuja with high-level of intrigues, horse-trading and lobbying that have trailed the preparations on who becomes the consensus candidate for the post of national chairman.

For the past few weeks, one of the aspirants for the position, Alhaji Bamanga Tukur, has been touted to emerge as the consensus candidate, following alleged overwhelming support from the Presidency.

But no agreement was reached to that effect at a meeting of the governors and President Goodluck Jonathan at Aso Rock on Thursday night, where the president reportedly made a passionate appeal to them to accept Tukur as consensus candidate for the position.

This development, The Guardian learnt, prompted another meeting of the governors yesterday at a location in Asokoro area of Abuja where they agreed to toe the line of the their colleagues from the Northeast zone who have adopted the immediate past national secretary of the party, Alhaji Musa Babayo, as the consensus candidate for the position.

According to one of the governors from Southeast zone, the decision was reached after the governors weighed all the options before them, to avoid crisis in the party and the forum.

"We realised that the opposition against Tukur from his home zone is overwhelming and some people were already in court, challenging his membership of the party," he said.

"Besides, the decision of who becomes the national chairman of the party has to be made by our colleagues from the Northeast where the party zoned the position to.

"So far, they have made a choice of a consensus candidate, and we have no option than to support the person. That is why we decided to support their decision in the interest of peace and unity in the party."

On whether the Presidency will accept the decision, the governor said: "It would be communicated to the president this night (yesterday) by some of our colleagues we have delegated to do so. But if he insists on Tukur's candidacy, it will be decided at voting centre."

It was also revealed that what went in favour of Babayo was his good relationship with many of the governors whom, as the party national secretary, he had assisted in securing their tickets during the 2011 elections.

But investigation reveals that despite the governors' position, other factors at play might change the equation, as aspirants moved from their hotel locations to meet with state delegates and canvass for their supports.

A former member of the immediate past National Working Committee (NWC) of the PDP disclosed that some of their members were working hard for the emergence of their members in the new executive.

Also soliciting supports for some candidates are the founding fathers of the party, who have been schemed out of things and want some of their colleagues to stage a comeback, to pave for their political relevance again.

Among those battling for the position of national secretary are Chief Ebenezer Babatope, Mr. Olushola Oke and Prof. Tunde Adeniran. But many party people believe that the emergence of former governor of Ekiti, Mr. Segun Oni, as the deputy national vice chairman of the party in the Southwest, might affect Adeniran's chance.

Former governor of Osun State, Chief Olagunsoye Oyinlola, who was encouraged late to contest for post of national secretary, allegedly have the support of the governors for the position.

Nonetheless, the coast appears clear for Mr. Olisa Metuh, following the overwhelming support he enjoys from governors of the zone and the stepping down of one of the aspirants for the position, Mr. Chike Udeze, yesterday evening.

Still, uncertainties pervaded the entire processes yesterday, as nobody can guarantee where the pendulum might swing today.

Meanwhile, the National Congresses and Convention Planning Committee (NCCPC) of the party has insisted that delegates will cast their votes for all the offices provided for in the constitution of the party.

This came as Abuja went agog yesterday evening with the arrival of about 5,000 delegates for the exercise.

Addressing a press conference in Abuja, the chairman of NCCPC, Chief Ojo Maduekwe, said irrespective of the consensus arrangement made from the states and zones, all the aspirants cleared by the committee would test their popularity through the ballot box.

"While we respect the principle of zoning of the PDP, but we are determined that zoning would not be used to neutralise or disenfranchise anybody," he said.

"All those eligible would be on the ballot even where consensus candidates had been arrived at; the votes would still be counted. This is because the constituency for this convention is the entire nation."

Maduekwe, who was supported by some members of the committee, pledged to ensure that the convention was the best ever conducted by any political party in the country.

"This would be the most credible, peaceful and hitch-free convention not only in the history of the party, but in Nigeria," he said.

On the security challenges in the country, he gave the assurance that adequate arrangement had been put in place to secure life and property of the delegates.

Truly, security has been beefed up in the FCT, with soldiers, police and other security agencies cordoning off all access roads to the Eagle Square, venue of the event.

As at the time of this report, delegates had started trooping into the city in buses, with Niger and Nasarawa states' delegates as early birds.

The screening sub-committee of the convention was busy attending to delegates, while major hotels, including Nicon Hilton and Sheraton were filled to capacity and some delegates were seen going for accommodation in the satellite towns of Kubwa and Nyanya.

Accreditation of journalists and delegates was yet to start, as the convention committee was still trying to tidy up other issues.



The Guardian