Fresh controversies are trailing the bid by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to find a successor for Alhaji Bamanga Tukur who resigned as PDP national chairman.
Tukur’s resignation was announced at the National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting of the PDP on Thursday where President Goodluck Jonathan also announced that his successor would be known on Monday.
Various interest groups including PDP governors, Board of Trustees (BOT) members, and various blocs met separately Thursday night to take action on the exiting vacancy at Wadata Plaza.
Our correspondent learnt that the governors met Thursday night at the Akwa Ibom governor’s lodge but were not able to reach a conclusion over who they should support for the national chairmanship.
A source at the meeting said the governors were divided over whether to retain the deputy national chairman of the party; Uche Secondus as acting chairman or shop for a substantive chairman while governors form the North Eastern part of the country are said to have demanded for the right of first refusal.
The right of first refusal would give the governors of Bauchi, Gombe and Taraba states an edge as they remain the only PDP states in the North East since Murtala Nyako of Adamawa joined the All Progressives congress (APC).
It was learnt that many of the South South governors in attendance favoured the retention of Secondus, while others were said to have argued against that saying it will not go down well with some sections of the country.
Sources at the meeting said those in favour of retaining the deputy national chairman stressed the fact that the time between Thursday and Monday is not enough for them to do a thorough job of screening to select amongst the numerous aspirants who is best suited for the position.
But the source confided in our correspondent that the real motive they favoured Secondus is because they wanted somebody they were sure could give an unflinching loyalty to Jonathan in an election year.
“They think it would be difficult to get somebody like that from the North but that cannot be true as there are people who are one hundred percent behind Jonathan in the North,” he said.
Those against that arrangement were said to have pointed out that as it stands now, the PDP is losing large chunks of supporters from the North and that denying the region the national chairmanship would further alienate the party from the people.
Our correspondent also leanrt that PDP governors from the North east want to be given right of first refusal since the position has been zoned to them.
They were said to have debunked insinuation that they will not be comfortable working with a national chairman from their state.
The governors it was learnt could not conclude as they dispersed with a promise to continue consultations among themselves.
Various interest groups including PDP governors, Board of Trustees (BOT) members, and various blocs met separately Thursday night to take action on the exiting vacancy at Wadata Plaza.
Our correspondent learnt that the governors met Thursday night at the Akwa Ibom governor’s lodge but were not able to reach a conclusion over who they should support for the national chairmanship.
A source at the meeting said the governors were divided over whether to retain the deputy national chairman of the party; Uche Secondus as acting chairman or shop for a substantive chairman while governors form the North Eastern part of the country are said to have demanded for the right of first refusal.
The right of first refusal would give the governors of Bauchi, Gombe and Taraba states an edge as they remain the only PDP states in the North East since Murtala Nyako of Adamawa joined the All Progressives congress (APC).
It was learnt that many of the South South governors in attendance favoured the retention of Secondus, while others were said to have argued against that saying it will not go down well with some sections of the country.
Sources at the meeting said those in favour of retaining the deputy national chairman stressed the fact that the time between Thursday and Monday is not enough for them to do a thorough job of screening to select amongst the numerous aspirants who is best suited for the position.
But the source confided in our correspondent that the real motive they favoured Secondus is because they wanted somebody they were sure could give an unflinching loyalty to Jonathan in an election year.
“They think it would be difficult to get somebody like that from the North but that cannot be true as there are people who are one hundred percent behind Jonathan in the North,” he said.
Those against that arrangement were said to have pointed out that as it stands now, the PDP is losing large chunks of supporters from the North and that denying the region the national chairmanship would further alienate the party from the people.
Our correspondent also leanrt that PDP governors from the North east want to be given right of first refusal since the position has been zoned to them.
They were said to have debunked insinuation that they will not be comfortable working with a national chairman from their state.
The governors it was learnt could not conclude as they dispersed with a promise to continue consultations among themselves.
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