President Goodluck Jonathan and Governor Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta State were at the weekend being mentioned in the new permutations for the presidential ticket of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP following the planned rezoning of party offices in the opposition party.

The new permutations followed the decision of the Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi led zoning committee to rotate the office of National Chairman of the PDP to the North. Despite Governor Ugwuanyi’s claim that his committee’s mandate did not cover the zoning of the 2023 presidential ticket, multiple sources in the party told Saturday Vanguard that his assertion was just a matter of sophistry.



In that dimension and for the first time, political gladiators from the North were at the weekend sensitizing on the prospects of a Northern national chairman of the PDP. However, religion and ethnicity were surfacing to thwart the prospects of some of the leading northern PDP chieftains.

Among those being mentioned in political circles at the weekend were Senator Ahmed Makarfi, a former governor of Kaduna State, Senator David Mark, a former president of the Senate, Alhaji Tanimu Turaki a former minister in the Jonathan cabinet, Prof. Jerry Gana, a former minister in the Olusegun Obasanjo administration, former Governor Sule Lamido and former Governor Babangida Aliyu.



However, the decision to rezone the office of the national chairman of the PDP to the North, and with it, the prospect of a Southern presidential candidate according to party sources has focused attention on the prospective presidential nominees with the Southern governors and former President Jonathan emerging as leading possibilities.

The emergence of Jonathan as a factor in the race is being drummed by some Northern political actors with mostly members of his last cabinet as champions. Turaki who served as his Special Duties minister and is presently chairman of the former ministers forum, one source told Saturday Vanguard yesterday, was in the driving seat of the Jonathan project.



Remarkably, Turaki is also being mentioned for the post of national chairman, but it was gathered that he was putting any national chairmanship aspiration secondary to the Jonathan project.

The Jonathan project is bound to upset the permutations of those who had been championing his possible defection to the All Progressives Congress, APC with the hope of realizing a re-election on the platform of the party that drove him from power six years ago.



However, the Jonathan PDP project, just as the Jonathan APC project, it was gathered is facing steep competition from Southern critics who say that it is a way of shortchanging the South’s expectation for an eight year presidential run.

Those against Jonathan in the South and a few including one Northern Middle-Belt political actor told Saturday Vanguard yesterday that some PDP stakeholders were also narrowing down on Governor Okowa.

Okowa’s ascendency was being weaved upon the team-building nature his candidacy could push following the near elimination of the two Igbo governors in the PDP.

Besides the claim that the PDP has become a minority in the Southeast, the two Igbo governors in the PDP, Ugwuanyi and Okeize Ikpeazu (Abia) were also being said to be surrounded with claims of loyalty to the party. Both governors have in the past been speculated as possible defectors to the APC.

“The Fulani will never allow an Igbo president of Nigeria at this time,” one Northern minority PDP chieftain privy to some of the undercurrents told Saturday Vanguard yesterday.

With the apparent determination to lock out the Southeast from the presidential contest, the focus it was gathered, was shifting towards the South-South with Governors Udom Emmanuel of Akwa Ibom and Nyesom Wike of Rivers State as possible offers.

However, canvassers of the Okowa proposal were pushing the claim that he is a bridge between the South-South and the Southeast given the fact that he is from the Delta Ibo speaking region of Delta State.

“It is something that is sellable for the PDP. He is deeply from the South-South and is one that will be acceptable to the Southeast,” the Northern minority PDP chieftain told Saturday Vanguard.

However, a source close to Governor Okowa laughed off the issue when contacted saying that it was not something that has crossed the governor’s mind.

READ ALSO: 2023: Electronic voting/transmission of results, way to go —Jonathan
However, one political stakeholder in the PDP speaking on the evolving development yesterday said that Okowa who has been appreciated for his efforts in the past in conducing PDP conventions, notably, the 2018 convention, could run into difficulty from some of his colleagues.

“Okowa’s problem could come from some of his colleagues who could see him as a threat. Some governors also see Okowa as one who always plays down his political shrewdness.”

The factor of Okowa’s political sharpness was one factor that was helping to drum support for Jonathan as some of the outgoing governors believe that they could thrive better out of office with Jonathan as president even if it is for one term.

Meanwhile, religion was counting as a factor in the emerging contest for the national chairmanship of the PDP.

With the seeming decision to zone the presidential ticket to the South, party sources told Saturday Vanguard yesterday that Northern Christians in the chairmanship race could be wielded out as a way of carrying the Northern Muslims in the party along.

Besides, Prof. Jerry Gana who one source listed as a possible aspirant was also facing the challenge that he had only recently returned to the party after his earlier defection.

Former Governor Aliyu who was also being strongly mentioned in the emerging race was also being discounted on account of the internal divisions in the Niger State chapter of the PDP and the strong acrimony between him and some party chieftains who argue that he betrayed the party in the 2015 election.

Smithkafors:
It's OK.... The Dave umahi just scored an own goal. He could have stayed back in PDP.

jimyjames:
Lol let's wait and see how it will end, if Nigeria still remains 1 as a nation in 2024 then it will never break apart

Smithkafors:
It's OK.... The Dave umahi just scored an own goal. He could have stayed back in PDP.

PrinceOfLagos:

Nigeria will not break apart forget

jimyjames:

PDP is a dead party, plus I personally as an igbo man I don't want an igbo president, the country is already damaged the next president of this country whoever he is will be overwhelmed with the troubles that awaits this country, what is happening in the North will be sponsored to reach South once a southern president emerges, Igbos will not stop even if an igbo president emerges, the will be a pogrom against the igbos especially in the North and south west once an igbo president emerges

Smithkafors:
It's OK.... The Dave umahi just scored an own goal. He could have stayed back in PDP.

budaatum:


I do not think we Nigerians will elect a president from a region who's sole manifesto is the destruction of Nigeria so Biafra can exist. We just are not that dumb.

Praxis758:
Hmmm........

Presidential zoning is now a game of chess for both APC and PDP.

A Jonathan candidate for PDP in the presidential race will openly deflate the voting basket of APC in the south because the excuses such as blame game, corruption etc won't be bought by the people.

Moreso, Buhari's nepotism, fanatism, racism and incompetence has opened people's eye to the fact APC cannot manage our diversity.

Tinubu's candidacy from the south under APC will only sell in the core north, provided PDP picked a weak norther Muslim. A strong running mate for PDP from the core north will give APC a big headache and running for their money.

Imagine someone like Kwakwanso or Sule Lamido serving as a running mate to a southern PDP hopeful, such a presidential election tense and interesting.

APC should forget their 'blame game' strategy because Nigerians are now wiser than 2015 and 2019.

Praxis758:
Hmmm........

Presidential zoning is now a game of chess for both APC and PDP.

A Jonathan candidate for PDP in the presidential race will openly deflate the voting basket of APC in the south because the excuses such as blame game, corruption etc won't be bought by the people.

Moreso, Buhari's nepotism, fanatism, racism and incompetence has opened people's eye to the fact APC cannot manage our diversity.

Tinubu's candidacy from the south under APC will only sell in the core north, provided PDP picked a weak norther Muslim. A strong running mate for PDP from the core north will give APC a big headache and running for their money.

Imagine someone like Kwakwanso or Sule Lamido serving as a running mate to a southern PDP hopeful, such a presidential election tense and interesting.

APC should forget their 'blame game' strategy because Nigerians are now wiser than 2015 and 2019.

legendgalas:

Lol...
E go shock you say pdp no get mouth again for naija

West1side:
Upon how you tried covering up your foolishness it still shows.

Are you tellinG APC can not provide a strong Vice for Tinubu ? Ordinary Ganduje will give Kwakwaso a run for his money, it's a game over if it's Elrufai so what exactly is the essence of the the entire rubbish you wrote. A ticket with the like of Lamido on it at this hour in the polite of nigeria is dear on arrival.

How you foolishly chose to weight the best of PDP against the worse of APC is beyond every sensible reasoning. As bad as the misgovernment of APC is glaring the 2023 election remains theirs to lose n pdp need an A game with it major stake holders who lose out of the ticket chosing not to rock the boat but support whoever comes out as winner before PDP can even mount a challenge.

Note that a challenge is different from a victory.

West1side:
Upon how you tried covering up your foolishness it still shows.

Are you tellinG APC can not provide a strong Vice for Tinubu ? Ordinary Ganduje will give Kwakwaso a run for his money, it's a game over if it's Elrufai so what exactly is the essence of the the entire rubbish you wrote. A ticket with the like of Lamido on it at this hour in the polite of nigeria is dear on arrival.

How you foolishly chose to weight the best of PDP against the worse of APC is beyond every sensible reasoning. As bad as the misgovernment of APC is glaring the 2023 election remains theirs to lose n pdp need an A game with it major stake holders who lose out of the ticket chosing not to rock the boat but support whoever comes out as winner before PDP can even mount a challenge.

Note that a challenge is different from a victory.

jimyjames:

Well every change in the history of this country called Nigeria good or bad comes through the hands of the igbos, ......

jimyjames:

PDP is a dead party, plus I personally as an igbo man I don't want an igbo president, the country is already damaged the next president of this country whoever he is will be overwhelmed with the troubles that awaits this country, what is happening in the North will be sponsored to reach South once a southern president emerges, Igbos will not stop even if an igbo president emerges, the will be a pogrom against the igbos especially in the North and south west once an igbo president emerges

noleflendum:
I talk am before
No sane Muslim of the core Northern states will vote for infidel from that region of killing policemen. South south will rather be voted for instead of someone like kerosene distributor

Afamed:
Ipob, used and dumped