•Governors take Bayelsa crisis to NEC
The National Caucus of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has retained the party’s chairmanship in the Northeast as part of a new zoning formula. The Southwest is to produce the national secretary.
The party may be in for a stormy National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting today as the governors elected on its platform are insisting on the inclusion of the Bayelsa State primary election on the agenda.
The National Caucus endorsed the zoning formula Tuesday night.
The party offices will now be shared at the National Convention in February as follows: National Chairman (Northeast); Deputy National Chairman (Southsouth); National Secretary (Southwest); National Treasurer (Northcentral); National Organising Secretary (Northwest); National Legal Adviser (Northcentral); and the National Publicity Secretary (Southeast).
The House of Representatives Speaker was zoned to the Southwest, but the election of Aminu Tambuwal (Northwest) as Speaker upset the arrangement, leaving the Southwest without any post.
A source said: “What we did was to focus on the forthcoming National Convention in February and how to reposition the party to make it stronger for the challenges ahead.
“We want to put in place a National Working Committee that will uphold the rule of law, ensure justice and fairness and enforce party discipline.
“This is a tentative new zoning formula outlook which is subject to the ratification of the Board of Trustees and the National Executive Committee (NEC) of the party.
“The party decided to retain the chairmanship in the Northeast to ensure a balance in power sharing formula. The zone has been talking of marginalisation in the scheme of things.
“There were suggestions on dates for the convention but the NEC will take the final decision.”
Asked about the choice of a new National Chairman, the source added: “That is left to our leaders and governors to decide among the aspirants. We know we will reach a consensus before the convention in February.
“So far, the number of aspirants has risen to 11 in the light of the ratification of the new zoning formula.
“The National Publicity Secretary of the PDP, Prof. Rufai Ahmed Alkali and Ibrahim Birma are in the race.
“Others are a former Nigeria’s Ambassador to the United States, Dr. Hassan Adamu, ex-Governor of the defunct Gongola State, Alhaji Bamanga Muhammed Tukur; ex-Minister of Petroleum, Prof. Jibril Aminu (Adamawa); ex-Minister of Commerce, Ambassador Idris Waziri; ex-Minister of Agriculture, Alhaji Shettima Mustapha, a former National Chairman of the defunct Grassroots Democratic Movement (GDM), Alhaji Gambo Lawan (Borno); ex-Governor Adamu Mu’azu (Bauchi) and Senator Danjuma Goje (Gombe State).”
The party is set for the NEC meeting today to ratify the timetable for the convention, PDP governors are poised for a fresh battle.
They are mounting pressure on the NWC to put the recently concluded Bayelsa State Primary Election in the agenda.
“The governors are insisting that the party must get to the root of the crisis in Bayelsa since the NWC insisted that it acted on behalf of the NEC.
“There is tension everywhere but the PDP leadership will find a way out.”
A party source said: “We may not accede to the governors’ request because discussing the Bayelsa State primary election will be subjudice to the ongoing court process by Governor Timipre Sylva.”
Taken from:
Southwest gets PDP secretary