• Governors meet today to assess option
Chuks Okocha in Abuja
The national consensus option adopted by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) might have failed in the North-east, North-west and South-east as aspirants have refused to adopt the outcome of the micro zoning of offices by the governors of the party.
To this end, the PDP governors have summoned an emergency meeting that will take place today to review the consensus option and also access the progress made so far ahead of the October 30 and 31 national convention of the party.
Disagreements among aspirants have led to various members obtaining nomination and expression of interest forms from the party.
At as yesterday, which was the last day for the submission of nomination forms, documents obtained by THISDAY showed that PDP members even obtained forms outside of areas where certain offices were micro-zoned to by the governors and other stakeholders.
For instance, former PDP governorship candidate in the 2019 election in Yobe State, Ambassador Iliya Damagun, on Monday, submitted his nomination form as the deputy national chairman from the north-east.
Yesterday, wife of Mallam Adamu Ciroma, Maryam Inna, who is a former Minister of Women Affairs, obtained and also submitted her form, seeking election as the deputy national chairman.
This, however, was contrary to the micro-zoning earlier announced by the three governors of the north-east zone
In the same manner, the office of the PDP Youth Leader has been causing concerns in the north-west zone as three aspirants have submitted their nomination forms, claiming they were the anointed consensus aspirants from the office of the youth leader.
At the party’s national secretariat yesterday, being the last day, Sani Usman Elkudan and two others submitted their nomination forms for the office of youth leader. Usman Elkudan is being challenged by Mohammed Suleiman Kadeda. Both Kadeda and Usman hail from Kaduna State.
In the South-east, the national vice chairman of the party in the zone, Ali Odefa, in a statement said, “For the avoidance of doubt, our leaders in considering the need for unity and collective interest of our great party as well as the task ahead of us and as we approach the 2023 general elections, have collectively and unanimously nominated the following outstanding party men in our zone for National Executive offices as follows:
“National Secretary, Senator Sam Anyanwu (Sam Daddy), Imo State;
National Auditor, Sir Obi Okechukwu FCA, Anambra State; Assistant National Treasurer, Ndubuisi Eneh, Enugu State; Deputy National Legal Adviser, Barr. Okechukwu Osuoha, Abia State”, he stated.
But at the PDP national secretariat, Sam Ben Nwosu, a close associate of a former National Publicity Secretary of the PDP, Olisa Metuh, obtained and submitted a form for the office of national auditor, whereas the party has presented Obi Okechukwu as a national auditor consensus candidate.
In the same manner, Barrister Okay Muo Aroh, picked and submitted forms as a candidate for national secretary. He is from Anambra State, whereas the PDP zoned the office to Imo State
In the South-west, agreement has not been reached on who becomes the deputy national chairman as stakeholders were yet to agree between Ambassador Taofeek Arapaja, Olagunsoye Oyinlola and Oladipo Olawale.
Other consensus candidates that have submitted their nomination forms included Prof. Stella Effa Atoe (Cross River State) for the office of Women leader and Hon. Debo Ologunagba for the office of the National Publicity Secretary (Ondo State).
