Fresh controversies have dogged the November 15 National Convention of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), as some party stakeholders rejected the decision to elect the next party’s national officers by consensus.
Also, the defection of Enugu State governor, Peter Mbah, to the All Progressives Congress (APC), and the resignation of his Bayelsa State counterpart, Senator Douye Diri, from the party, have disrupted the micro-zoning of national offices earlier adopted by the stakeholders from the South when they met in Lagos last month.
The PDP National Zoning Committee headed by Diri, had recommended the retention of the outgoing national offices in their respective regions. PDP, since 2021, adopted consensus to elect its national officers. But this is brewing crisis this time around.
This newspaper gathered that former Jigawa State Governor, Alhaji Sule Lamido, was favoured by North West stakeholders where the National Chairmanship position was micro-zoned to, for the office. But when the stakeholders from the region met last Wednesday, former Minister for Special Duties under President Goodluck Jonathan’s administration, Kabiru Tanimu Turaki, SAN, was adopted as the consensus candidate.
Adamawa State Governor, Umaru Fintiri, who briefed journalists at the end of stakeholders’ meeting, said the elders “reflected deeply and widely through consultation and “going to Ibadan for our national convention, we have adopted a consensus candidate to represent the North, and by extension, Nigeria, as the chairman of the PDP. “And that gentleman is KT Turaki, SAN.
This is our decision this evening, and he is the person we are presenting at that convention as our chairman to represent our party, on the 15 and 16 of November in Ibadan.” PDP National Organising Secretary, Capt. Umar Bature (rtd.), who spoke after the North West stakeholders’ meeting, however, said Turaki’s adoption was done without consultations with leaders of the zone.
“The North West has not met to agree on that position,” he said, and accused Zamafara State Governor, Dauda Lawal, of betrayal. “We believe we are the strongest zone in the PDP, and the attitude of our leaders in this regard made us take this position, that we disagree with the governor’s position, and we are going to have our own candidate that we will nominate for that position,” he said.
He said the zone has not adopted anybody as a candidate, adding that there has been resentment due to a lack of consultation among the leaders of this zone. Governor Lawal however, said consensus is normal, and was an internal affair of the party.
“We are working on making sure everybody is on board, so that we can have a very, successful convention,” he explained. The PDP in the South East is also accusing Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, of hijacking the National Woman Leader position meant for the zone, following Mbah’s defection to the APC.
Member, representing Ideato North and South Federal Constituency of Imo State, Ikenga Ugochinyere, in a statement, alleged that the position, which was formerly micro-zoned to Enugu State, has been taken to South-South since Mbah left the party by Makinde. According to Ugochinyere, the current zonal woman leader, Mrs.
Ifeyinwa Arodiogbu, was unanimously backed by PDP chieftains from the zone, as National Woman Leader, but it is now about to be taken “to the South-South because of their disdain and disrespect for PDP members from the South East.” But a member of the party who pleaded anonymity, said there is no truth in Ugochinyere’s allegation.
The source disclosed that despite Mbah’s defection, the National Woman Leader position still remains in the South East. “There are four national officers micro-zoned to South East – the Deputy National Secretary, National Woman Leader, National Financial Secretary and Deputy National Youth Leader,” he explained.
He further disclosed that someone from Imo State has already picked form for Deputy National Youth Leader, adding, “Makinde said to my hearing that all the positions micro-zoned to all the states in the South still remain.
