No imposition, no consensus candidate for PDP Chairmanship race

The PDP Governor’s Forum have resolved to do away with imposition and consensus candidate in the forthcoming convention slated for December to elect a Chairman for the former ruling party.
It is now clear that every candidate for the Chairmanship position will have to sell their programmes to delegates at the convention to win their votes.
The source said: “The Chairman of the PDP Governors Forum, Mr. Ayo Fayose, presided over the session and coordinated the grilling. Each of the candidates was given 10 minutes to address all the PDP governors on their vision for the party and perspectives on the national convention.

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“The candidates were all allowed to be in the hall to listen to each other’s presentation. The process was fair and transparent. Nobody was screened but all candidates were asked to respond to questions from the governors and party leaders, including the Chairman of the Caretaker Committee of PDP, Sen. Ahmed Makarfi.
“But at the end of the day, the candidates rejected proposals for either a consensus candidate or a candidate picked by the governors.”
Another source at the session said the PDP Governors Forum appreciated the magnitude of the election at the national convention.
The source added: “What the governors thought was an easy ride to impose a candidate wasn’t the case at all. All the candidates came prepared and were ready for the battle ahead.
“The governors had no choice but to tread softly and allow the process to run its course. If they are backing any candidate, it was obvious they have to do more work.”
Asked what the session achieved, a governor, who spoke with our correspondent last night, listed the following:
• bringing all the candidates together to forge unity and douse tension;
• knowing the mindset of the candidates who all opted to contest and allow the delegates to determine their fate;
• no imposition of a candidate;
• reduced the contest for the chairmanship to Southsouth and Southwest affairs. The Southeast prefers the Vice President’s slot;
• extraction of commitment from the candidates that the convention will not be tense
• unwritten agreement by all the candidates that whoever becomes the national chairman will be accepted by all without recourse to litigations; and
• leaving the race open to all

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“It is also becoming apparent that PDP governors may eventually go their separate ways. The probability of endorsing a common candidate by the governors is now slimmer.”
A candidate at the session, Prof. Taoheed Adedoja, said: “I am happy with the outcome of the session in Enugu because it gave much confidence to all of us that the process will be fair.
“But I want the party to put the Southwest into consideration for the office of national chairman. In 2018, Governor Ayo Fayose will complete his tenure and PDP may or may not have a governor in the Southwest. The Southwest will now be porous and open to any party.”
Adeniran was waxing stronger among Northern candidates.
A member of the Board of Trustees said: “Most founding leaders of PDP and BOT members from the North have opted for Adeniran.
“Some of these governors, who insulted us at the Caucus meeting will know that we founded the party and know its secrets of survival,” the BoT member said, pleading not to be named.
Governors at the meeting were, Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, Enugu; Okezie Ikpeazu, Abia; Darius Ishaku, Taraba; Ibrahim Dankwambo, Gombe.
Others were Emmanuel Udom, Akwa-Ibom; Ben Ayade,Cross River; ifeanyi Okowa, Delta; Seriake Dickson, Bayelsa; Nyesom Wike, River, while Ebonyi was represented by the deputy governor.
NAN reports that of the eight chairmanship aspirants, South-west had six, while South-South had two.
They are: Bode George, Jimi Agbaje, Taoheed Adedoja, Tunde Adeniran, Rasheed Ladoja, Gbenga Daniel, Raymond Dokpesi and Uche Secondus.
NAN also reports that former governors at the meeting were Gabriel Suswam of Benue and Godswill Akpabio of Akwa-Ibom.
The meeting was also attended by former External Affairs Minister, Tom Ikimi, Kema Chikwe, former Senate President Adolpus Wabara, and incumbent Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu

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