Barely 24 hours to the Kogi governorship poll, the Peoples Democratic Party(PDP) is jittery over the likely outcome of the election.
President Goodluck Jonathan on Wednesday night convened a meeting of warring PDP chieftains at the Presidential Villa to save his party from defeat.
The meeting at the Villa followed security reports on alleged poor outing of the PDP at its grand finale rally in Lokoja on Monday.
The meeting started at about 9pm and ended at 11.40pm. The atmosphere was moody as party leaders expressed fears that they might lose Kogi to the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), it was learnt.
At the session, according to sources, were Vice-President Namadi Sambo; Senate President David Mark; outgoing Governor Ibrahim Idris; PDP Governorship candidate Capt. Idris Wada; ex-PDP National Chairman Senator Ahmadu Ali; winner of the January primary Jibrin Isa Echocho; Senator Smart Adeyemi, all National Assembly members elected on the platform of the PDP from Kogi State and governorship aspirant, AVM Salihu Atawodi.
Also there were PDP running mate Mr. Yomi Awoniyi; a former Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the PDP, Chief Tony Anenih; Chief John Odawn; the Acting National Chairman of the PDP, Alhaji Abubakar Kawu Baraje; and all members of the National Working Committee (NWC).
A source said: “The meeting was at the instance of Mr. President because of what he saw at the grand finale of the PDP for its governorship candidate on Monday.
“All the party leaders were also jittery about revelations on the alleged health challenges of the party’s governorship candidate, Capt. Idris Wada based on records from the University College Hospital, Ibadan.
“They had fears that even if Wada wins the poll, the final ticket may go to the ACN based on the health records.
“But the preoccupation of the leaders was on how to win the election since the health matters have been laid before a Federal High Court.”
Another source said: “All the leaders were concerned about the inroad of the ACN. The ex-National Chairman of the PDP opened discussions by faulting the manner in which the party’s candidate, Echocho, who won the primaries in January was substituted by Governor Ibrahim Idris at the last minute.
“Ali said the strategy was wrong and it has been posing a major threat to PDP’s victory.”
Anenih also acknowledged that the ACN has a formidable structure because of the injustice which trailed the emergence of Wada.
“In his usual frank manner, Anenih also faulted the governor but he gave a ray of hope that the situation is redeemable if all stakeholders could bury their hatchets.
“The Senate President shocked everybody when he said the leadership of the Action Congress of Nigeria has been wishing that Idris Wada be made a candidate of the PDP because of his health records so that they could win the poll on a platter of gold.
“He said he had a strong suspicion that the ACN might make an issue of Wada’s health even if the PDP emerges victorious.
“Senator Smart Adeyemi said the outgoing governor is the problem of the party in the state.
“He said PDP members of the National Assembly from the state met the governor four times on the danger of substituting Echocho but he was adamant.”
As a way out, one of the sources added: “The acting National Chairman pleaded with the leaders to prevail on Echocho to withdraw his suit against Wada to reduce any post-election challenge.
“He also asked the President and other leaders to beg Echocho to work for the election of Wada on Saturday.”
“But Echocho, who promised to remain a loyal party man and work for Wada, was non-committal on the withdrawal of the suit. He kept silent on the issue.”
It was gathered that the President directed “all the stakeholders to close ranks and deploy their resources to work for Wada.”