Second Republic Vice President, Dr. Alex Ekwueme, recently brought to light his interest in the PDP BoT chairmanship race. This came as a surprise to many as his name has never been mentioned as one of

the aspirants of the highly revered position.
Ekwueme, who picked his notification form on the deadline date being Friday the 7th of Dec., 2012, against January 8, 2013 which is the scheduled date for the election, is to contest alongside three other aspirants for the position. The others are former Senate President Ken Nnamani, former BoT chairman, Chief Anthony Anenih, and newspaper publisher, Chief Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu.
It was not confirmed if the former governor of old Anambra State, Chief Jim Nwobodo, had picked up the notification form.
All the notification forms were picked from the secretary of the board, Senator Walid Jibrin. As at press time, former national chairman of PDP, Dr. Ahmadu Ali, was yet to pick a form for the contest. Also said to have indicated his intention to contest was the former BoT chairman of All Nigeria Party, Chief Harry Akande.
All the contestants are earnestly in need of President Goodluck Jonathan's backing. And at the weekend, most of them were said to have taken their battle for the support of the president to Otuoke, his home town in Bayelsa State, where he was burying his younger brother.
Anenih was in Otuoke, instead of at the Yar'Adua Memorial Lecture where he was supposed to be chairing the steering committee. Also said to be in Bayelsa State was Nnamani.
Ekwueme, 80, was the founding national chairman of PDP and was the first chairman of the party's BoT. He might have been reluctant to run for the BoT chairmanship. But his entrance into the race may be the game changer that would moderate the contest that has proved to be a major field of play for the war of nerves between Jonathan and former President Olusegun Obasanjo.
Obasanjo has not been favourably disposed to Jonathan's second term ambition and the former president has been trying to build a nationwide alliance in support of his position on 2015 presidency. The powerful PDP BoT, currently the highest decision-making organ of the party, will be instrumental in determining who would fly the PDP presidential flag in 2015.
Recently, Obasanjo organised a fund-raiser for a mosque project at his presidential library in Abeokuta that proved to be part of his strategic mobilisation for 2015. He reportedly embarked on a tour of the South-east soon after the Abeokuta event on the invitation of Iwuanyanwu, who was also in Abeokuta for the fundraising ceremony.
There are strong indications that Jonathan may be inclined towards the South-east in the choice of the BoT chairman to address a sense of marginalisation in the headship of PDP being felt by politicians from the zone. The office of the national chairman of PDP is held by a North-easterner, the president is from the South-south, and the vice president is from the North-west.
The office of the national secretary of PDP is occupied by some from the South-west, while the South-east feels left out.
Though, the zone occupies the offices of deputy senate president and deputy speaker of the House of Representatives, they consider the offices de-facto heads.
In the past few weeks, Nnamani was arguably the most popular South-east contender for the BoT chairmanship post. But he is believed to be close to Obasanjo, a situation that seems sure to rob him of the president's support. Ekwueme might then have emerged as a moderate force likely to be accepted by all sides.


http://ww.ipaidabribenaija.com/politics/item/12522

Power.To.Him!

these ibo people don't learn. no political wisdom or leadership. its always about the highest bidder.

Ekwueme is too big for it abeg. He should leave it for the small boys.

Eko Ile: these ibo people don't learn. no political wisdom or leadership. its always about the highest bidder.

Your worst regret is that you was not born Igbo, which has led you to hate on anything Igbo: If you cannot be Igbo, nobody else will.

afam4eva: Ekwueme is too big for it abeg. He should leave it for the small boys.

no, it's perfect, he'll get the playing field ready for an igbo presidency.

They say we are the leaderss of tomorrow, if these people are still contesting for power, when is our tomorrow?

donedy:

Your worst regret is that you was not born Igbo, which has led you to hate on anything Igbo: If you cannot be Igbo, nobody else will.

J'adore +1000

We should learn to play politics as a block, all other major contenders from south east should step down at the hem for Ekwueme, (Nnamani, Jim Nwobodo, Iwuanyanwu). He has the right weight to counter the tilt Obasanjo is putting on the balance, His presence will greatly attenuate OBJs effect on PDP which none of the others can manage, else OBJ remains an the effective BOT chairman (main PDP power broker) while others occupy mere seats.

afam4eva: Ekwueme is too big for it abeg. He should leave it for the small boys.

too big?no,too old wil b a beta phrase.lookin at al d names,i tin aneni wil b more apealin 2d president because ken nnamani n ekweme were in ibb/atiku"s camp durin last electn,inwanyanwu is "too close" to obj.so i tink aneni wil beta serv d pasonal ambitn of gej

Igbo should support him quick.
Let them not support other non-igbo contestant and come back here to say "they are agaist igbo".
Charity begins at home.

I thought PDP BOT chairmanship is a reserved position of only for d past pdp's presidents....or has rule been amended??

Ekweme is a good man but could he please let Ken Nnamani to ascend the position and teach the president what is sanity in a party. Nnamani was the senate president that compromised threat and money for integrity during the third term brouhaha.

This old man should be ashamed of himself! At the age of 80? Abeg go prepare yourself for....

afam4eva: Ekwueme is too big for it abeg. He should leave it for the small boys.

Agreed totally. He may have been urged to run in order to stabilize things. But I don't think that Ekwueme belongs to the class of political vampires we have.

Ekweme has no shame. What a hustler even at such age, to think Ken Nnamani is actually in the race too. I am so disappointed. Old man retire and support the younger ones. Haba!

Na wa Oo

Politician ηo dey retire for this country

Chei

Mucokey: I thought PDP BOT chairmanship is a reserved position of only for d past pdp's presidents....or has rule been amended??

Mucokey: I thought PDP BOT chairmanship is a reserved position of only for d past pdp's presidents....or has rule been amended??

Mucokey: I thought PDP BOT chairmanship is a reserved position of only for d past pdp's presidents....or has rule been amended??

what does he want.

good.

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Mucokey: I thought PDP BOT chairmanship is a reserved position of only for d past pdp's presidents....or has rule been amended??

Mucokey: I thought PDP BOT chairmanship is a reserved position of only for d past pdp's presidents....or has rule been amended??

Mucokey: I thought PDP BOT chairmanship is a reserved position of only for d past pdp's presidents....or has rule been amended??

what does he want. what What...

He is the only person qualified for that job

Eko Ile: these ibo people don't learn. no political wisdom or leadership. its always about the highest bidder.

Did you go to school at all? Why do you like displaying your ignorance in every public discourse?

#interestin# lets c who go win

I would have love Ken to asend the mantle of BoT of the PDP. I haven't heard of any corruption allegation level against him. He's so matured to me.

Iwuanyanwu is a Traitor. I give it to Ekwueme cos he will balance the forces wit his wealth of experience or Nnamani for stopping third term.

Many should not forget that Ekwueme is among the people that founded Pdp. He decided to stay on the side line when he realized that the party he founded has been hijacked.

Ekweme should be eighty years now I guess and the present chairman, Bamanga Tukur is in his late seventies to.. Na wah o! Party of old men with archaic ideas..

kokoA: Ekweme should be eighty years now I guess and the present chairman, Bamanga Tukur is in his late seventies to.. Na wah o! Party of old men with archaic ideas..

'Tis call Gerontocracy. Old men who keep fooling themselves holding on to power for silly sake of trying to be relevant. Papa Ekweme should have left politics long ago to position himself a mentor and an advicer.
However, I think Papa Ekweme and his Igbo constituents should channel all their energies to a successful bidding for the presidency which I believe they deserve come 2015 or else it might take a long, long time before they have a taste of the centre.

This Ekwueme self, he wants wants to be use and dump again by those 'nests of killers'.

Dr. Alex Ekwueme is a good candidate, for as long as he is in good health. He fits in with those PDP Fox....

Eko Ile: these ibo people don't learn. no political wisdom or leadership. its always about the highest bidder.

Eko Ole or Ile stop weeing on your pampers. Remember to finish your golden morn. Go to bed early because you would be joining your school bus very early in the morning.