…Tough nut for NEC Thursday

…Modu-Sheriff-Makarfi scenario looms over chairmanship

…Stakeholders move against PDP governors over zoning

…North Central tipped for national chairmanship

By Clifford Ndujihe & Dirisu Yakubu

STRATEGIC stakeholders battling for the zoning of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, 2023 presidential ticket to the North and their counterparts angling for the South have upped their game ahead of the National Executive Committee, NEC, meeting on Thursday.

Among others, the NEC will deliberate and, thereafter, ratify or modify the recommendations of the zoning committee, led by Enugu State governor, Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi.

The zoning committee after tension-soaked meetings in Enugu and Abuja, zoned the national chairmanship to the North, which by PDP tradition means the South would produce the presidential candidate.

However, Vanguard gathered that this is not cast in stone as some stakeholders are working on a number of options.

One is getting the NEC not to ratify what the zoning committee did and allow the current zoning formula to be retained for 2023.

Another is agreeing with the zoning committee but throwing the presidency open. This will enable the stakeholders get a ‘’willing” northern politician, who supports the northern presidency to emerge as chairman.

Such a politician is expected to resign his chairmanship to allow a southerner take the post for the northern presidency to fly.

However, there is fear that the ‘’willing” politician may not vacate his seat, which may leave the PDP with a Northern chairman and Northern presidential candidate that will go against party tradition and ‘mood” of the nation.

Besides, it could lead to repeat of the Senator Ali Modu-Sheriff/Senator Ahmed Makarfi scenario when the former refused to vacate the national chairmanship and the party fought all the way to the Supreme Court to get him out.

If that happens in an election year, party insiders said the PDP would be shooting itself on its foot electorally.

Indeed, a source told Vanguard, weekend that by getting the zoning committee to zone the chairmanship to the North, ‘the South may have played into the hands of the North. What the North is planning is that at the NEC meeting, they will push for the party to announce that the Presidency will be open to all interested candidates.

“In that case, the North will present a top candidate who believes in Northern Presidency and when the time for presidential primaries comes, a northerner may still emerge.”

Meanwhile, ahead of the October 31 national elective convention of the party, leaders and stakeholders of the PDP are set to square up against 13 governors of the party particularly for the position of the PDP national chairman

This is even as Vanguard gathered that key offices in the National Working Committee, NWC, have been micro-shared across all six geo-political zones.

The North-Central will produce the national chairman, national treasurer as well as the national legal adviser.

In the incumbent NWC, the North Central holds the Offices of National Finance Secretary and the National Publicity Secretary.

The South-West which currently has in its kitty the positions of National Deputy Chairman (South) and National Treasurer will produce the National Publicity Secretary.

The South-South currently holds the positions of the National chairman, and Legal Adviser while the South-East holds the offices of National Organizing Secretary and National Youth Leader. In the outgoing NWC, the North-East is holding the positions of Deputy National Chairman (North), National Woman Leader, and National Auditor, while The North-West is holding the position of National Secretary.

On the tension generated by the new zoning formula, the caucus of the party in the National Assembly, the forum of former governors as well as many other eminent leaders in the North are unhappy about what some called the unilateral decision of the governors to impose their will on the zoning committee.

It would be recalled that the National Convention Zoning Committee of the party led by Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu State, last Thursday after a meeting in Abuja recommended swapping of NWC positions such that those being held by North would be taken over by the South and vice versa.

It was learnt that a sizeable number of aggrieved members have equally threatened to protest against the zoning formula in 94th meeting of the party’s National Executive Committee (NEC) slated for Thursday.

A NEC member who confided in Vanguard accused the governors of using the zoning committee to hatch their earlier plan to prevent serving members of the NWC from seeking re-election in the October 30/31 convention.

Citing section 47(1) of the Constitution of the PDP, he disclosed that should NEC endorse the zoning formula as proposed by the Ugwuanyi-led committee, it may prepare grounds for fresh litigations that may affect the holding of the convention.

Section 47(1) of the PDP constitution reads:

“All National, Zonal, State, Local Government Area and Ward Officers of the party shall hold office for a term of four years and shall be eligible for re-election for another term and no more”

He said: “What the governors are trying to do is a serious breach of PDP’s constitution which guarantees the right to seek re-election for every serving member of the NWC. They raised this at one of the meetings of NEC but were seriously opposed and defeated.

“By suggesting that NWC positions being held by persons from the North be swapped for positions in the South, they have automatically prevented all serving NWC members from seeking re-election. For instance, what if the serving National chairman wants to seek re-election to the same position? What if the serving National Organizing Secretary wants to seek re-election to the same position? You will discover that these persons can’t do so because their positions have been taken away from their zones,” he stressed.

https://www.vanguardngr.com/2021/10/2023-northern-southern-pdp-stakeholders-dig-in-for-presidency/

?.

Ok

The North will do anything to make sure they frustrate the plan of a Southern presidency

But it's left for the south to unite and try and align together to reach a compromise and insist on it

But the only issue the south have is that South West would rather choose to support their own person for the highest political post even after handling both the president and vice president slot since 1999

This won't go well with the East and south south, who would rather support a northern candidate so as to get the vice presidential position instead of supporting a south west candidate

Nigerian used Honda Pilot 2005 model, available in Ibadan for N950k only. 0 8 0 3 6 9 2 8 2 6 6

Lolz

PDP should rather give Goodluck the ticket than Atiku. North hates atiku with passion but the dumbos go still give atiku the ticket and osibade or tunubu we be a free ride

Wike will rule Nigeria like Trump...
Lol he's the man

The PDP Mathias don tire Lord luggard himself no be Chias.

The most pathetic situation for them is that they seem not to have a southern presidential candidate that has national appeal or acceptance. Their matter tie wrapper.

Divide this shithole asap.



Southerners wake up

Na so south west loose that chairmanship post. PDP is obviously confused if they think that they'd zone both chairmanship and presidential ticket to the north.

[i][s]Make them enjoy, who go win go still win,[/s][/i]

Meaning Ugwuanyi led committee resolution could be dropped in the garbage.

Okay

Grgton:
Wike will rule Nigeria like Trump...
Lol he's the man

You are mistaking Nigeria for Rivers state.

Wike's 'Draconic' and 'maximum Ruler' style of leadership in the state will fail flatly when taking on Nigeria as president.

The Only Investment In Nigeria Is Politics.

Next president MUST be a Christian.

They can zone it to Mars,if they don't get things right after 2023, I will join those guys in bringing the flag down.

If north get the party president... Then We the northerners are ready for this, WIKE VS KWANKWASO... 2023..

I LUV THIS..

Aufbauh:
The PDP Mathias don tire Lord luggard himself no be Chias.

The most pathetic situation for them is that they seem not to have a southern presidential candidate that has national appeal or acceptance. Their matter tie wrapper.

Tell me which of the past democratic president that has national acceptance b4 bcoming president. All u nid is to be carried by one of the two prominent parties. Besides southern governors has a better leadership record in terms if development than northern governors

JosephXavier:
The North will do anything to make sure they frustrate the plan of a Southern presidency

But it's left for the south to unite and try and align together to reach a compromise and insist on it

But the only issue the south have is that[b] South West would rather choose to support their own person for the highest political post[/b] even after handling both the president and vice president slot since 1999

This won't go well with the East and south south, who would rather support a northern candidate so as to get the vice presidential position instead of supporting a south west candidate

The SW wants to support a SW Presidency in 2023
Is it not strange that the SE wants to support a Northern President in 2023?

Why cant the SE also support a SE candidate (and maybe with the support of the SS) for Presidency?
Why are Igbos always thinking it is okay and acceptable for them to always play Second Fiddle to the North, for them to ACHIEVE NOTHING (as we have seen from History!), rather than play second fiddle to the SW with a very certain agreement that the SW will back them to achieve the so much desired Presidency?

I think being a very brilliant people, they should be able to do a SWOT Analysis of which route can lead them to the Presidency,

They have tried the North since 1970, with even Ojukwu `sucking up to the North, with No Result.
It is no secret that the North will NEVER support an Igbo to be President of Nigeria
Why not try the SW, who have no opposition to an Igbo Presidency, post 2023?

Or it it a matter of Short-sightedness (A VP today is better than a Presidency in 8yrs time?)
Or a matter of Hatred for the Yorubas and preferably cutting of their Nose, just to spite Yorubas?

Igbos are a strange People indeed.

Pk01:
If north get the party president... Then We the northerners are ready for this, WIKE VS KWANKWASO... 2023..

I LUV THIS..

Why dont you "The North" support a Wike President, with Kwakwanso as Vice?

You want to use the SE/SS once again, to achieve your born-to-rule claims?
Anyway, l dont blame you too much, it is the SE that is allowing hatred for SW to becloud their sense of judgement and foresight.
And that is a very strange hatred/situation, bearing in mind that[b] it is in the SW that Igbos are safest and prosper most[/b], within Nigeria.

Daboomb:


The SW wants to support a SW Presidency in 2023
Is it not strange that the SE wants to support a Northern President in 2023?

Why cant the SE also support a SE candidate (and maybe with the support of the SS) for Presidency?
Why are Igbos always thinking it is okay and acceptable for them to always play Second Fiddle to the North, for them to ACHIEVE NOTHING (as we have seen from History!), rather than play second fiddle to the SW with a very certain agreement that the SW will back them to achieve the so much desired Presidency?

I think being a very brilliant people, they should be able to do a SWOT Analysis of which route can lead them to the Presidency,

They have tried the North since 1970, with even Ojukwu `sucking up to the North, with No Result.
It is no secret that the North will NEVER support an Igbo to be President of Nigeria
Why not try the SW, who have no opposition to an Igbo Presidency, post 2023?

Or it it a matter of Short-sightedness (A VP today is better than a Presidency in 8yrs time?)
Or a matter of Hatred for the Yorubas and preferably cutting of their Nose, just to spite Yorubas?

Igbos are a strange People indeed.

Because alongside the SS they already backed the SW in 2003 but the SW has refused to reciprocate

Daboomb:


Why dont you "The North" support a Wike President, with Kwakwanso as Vice?

You want to use the SE/SS once again, to achieve your born-to-rule claims?
Anyway, l dont blame you too much, it is the SE that is allowing hatred for SW to becloud their sense of judgement and foresight.
And that is a very strange hatred/situation, bearing in mind that[b] it is in the SW that Igbos are safest and prosper most[/b], within Nigeria.

Oga Wike is not running for president and even he did the North will never support him

kcnwaigbo:

Because alongside the SS they already backed the SW in 2003 but the SW has refused to reciprocate

But the SW also backed Jonathan, who was a SE and PDP Candidate in 2009 and elected him again in 20011?
Does that not balance your claim?

So, why run to the North now, in 2023?

kcnwaigbo:

Oga Wike is not running for president and even he did the North will never support him

Who then from the SE, with the North support as President, so that the whole of Southenr Nigeria will also suport that person?
Name the Easterner.

Who the cap fits?

Daboomb:


But the SW also backed Jonathan, who was a SE and PDP Candidate in 2009 and elected him again in 20011?
Does that not balance your claim?

So, why run to the North now, in 2023?

SW backed Jonathan in 2009? Did he compete for the presidency in 2009? What brand of weed exactly are you smoking?

BTW Jonathan was never SE candidate,stop trying to be clever by half