The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), yesterday, ratified the decision of its zoning committee which zoned office of the party’s national chairman to the North-east.
This development came ahead of the national convention of the party slated for May 21, 2016, in Port Harcourt, the capital of Rivers State.
The NEC, in the last quarter of last year, ceded the party’s presidential ticket for 2019 election to the North.
The anticipated decision to zone the two top offices to the North has generated tension in the party, with some people saying many members would leave the party in protest.
This is the first time, in the history of the party, that one region was allowed to produce the national chairman and presidential candidate.
Speaking at the end of the NEC meeting, which lasted for about one hour at the PDP National Secretariat, in Abuja, Senator Ali Modu Sheriff, the national chairman of the party, said report of the zoning committee led by ?Governor Emmanuel Udom of Akwa Ibom State was “unanimously adopted by NEC without dissenting voices.”
In an earlier interview with Daily Trust Governor Udom said tough decisions would be taken in zoning offices in the party.
Sources said the ongoing scheming in the PDP was aimed at extending the tenure of Sheriff in office.
Sheriff’s tenure as chairman would end May 21, 2016.
A dependable source in the party said: “The overall aim of Sheriff is to remain chairman of the party for the next three years to consolidate his firm grip on the party. Thereafter, he will step aside as chairman and grab the party’s presidential ticket which has been zoned to the North.”
?When asked, yesterday, whether he would contest at the forthcoming convention, Sheriff, a former governor of Borno State in the North-east, said: “?That is my personal decision which I will make at the appropriate time.”
Sheriff said the NEC would meet on May 11 to review the party’s constitution, adding that the convention committee, headed by Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State, has stated its readiness for the convention come May 21.
He said congresses would commence this Saturday, expressing his optimism that the PDP would regain power at the centre in 2019.
Those who attended the NEC meeting included governors Ibrahim Dankwambo (Gombe); Ben Ayade (Cross River State); Ifeanyi ?Uguanyi (Enugu); Nyesom Wike (River State); Ifeanyi Okowa (Delta); Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu; Senate Minority Leader, Godswill Akpabio and ?former Senate President David Mark.
One of the chairmanship aspirants from the South-west, Prof Taoheed Adedoja, in an interview, said: “Retaining the position by the North is unacceptable and a slight on the Yoruba race. Zoning of the PDP chairmanship to South-west is non-negotiable.”
Barrister Bashir Maiduguri, the deputy national legal adviser of the party, said: “With the loss of the 2015 general elections, one would have thought the PDP has learnt a lesson on how to put its house in order. But, very unfortunately, the reverse is the case. Senior members are actually flagrantly and knowingly violating the law for selfish reasons.”
