PDP Chieftains Renew Battle For Chairmanship

By Saawua Terzungwe



Chieftains of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) are embroiled in a fresh battle for the chairmanship of the party.

This followed ‎the Supreme Court verdict that ended the 14 months power tussle between senators Ahmed Makarfi and Ali Modu Sheriff.

As National Caretaker Committee Chairman, Makarfi who won at the Supreme Court is expected to organise a convention soon to usher in new set of leaders ahead of the 2019 elections.

PDP’s National Executive Committee (NEC) has approved the zoning of the presidential ticket to the North and the chairmanship to the South.

It will be difficult to predict who the presidential candidate will be for now but our correspondent reports that contenders for the post of the chairmanship include a former Minister of Education, Prof. Tunde Adeniran.

 Adeniran, who at a time served as Nigerian Ambassador to Germany, is also a member of the party’s Board of Trustees (BoT).

Similarly, a former National Vice Chairman of the party, Chief Bode George; former PDP governorship candidate ‎in Lagos State, Jimi Agbaje; Prof. Taoheed Adedoja, are all reportedly in the race.

Prince Uche Secondus, a former acting national chairman of the party is also reportedly considering going for the chairmanship.

In the previous contest, broadcast mogul, Chief Raymond Dokpesi, was in the race. It is, however, not clear whether he is still nursing the ambition.

But some of the contenders from the South West who spoke with our correspondent yesterday said they should be allowed to produce the PDP chairman on the grounds that their region was never entrusted with the revered office since the emergence of the party in 1998.

It was also learnt that the South West and the South East were intensifying strategies to secure the vice presidential slot of the party ahead of 2019.