Intrigues as Adamawa, Enugu govs head PDP convention, zoning c’ttees

The 94th National Executive Committee (NEC) of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has named Governor Ahmadu Fintiri of Adamawa State as chairman of the National Convention Planning Committee of the party.

The party also named Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu State as chairman of its zoning committee.

Daily Trust reports that intrigue on which zone will produce the chairman and next presidential candidate of the party has commenced.

Top shots of the party who are aspiring for the presidency in 2023, include former vice president Atiku Abubakar, former Senate president Bukola Saraki, governors of Sokoto and Bauchi states, Aminu Waziri Tambuwal and Bala

Mohammed, former governors of Jigawa and Kano states, Sule Lamido and Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso.

Party sources told Daily Trust that if the chairmanship position of the party is zoned to the South, the presidential ticket will undoubtedly go the North.

One of the sources added that conversely if the chairmanship position is zoned to the North, the party presidential ticket will go the South.

Another source told Daily Trust that the two committees were constituted to buy time and douse the tension in the party.

The National Publicity Secretary of the party, Kola Ologbondiyan, addressed journalists after the NEC meeting held at the party National Secretariat in Abuja.

The party had fixed October 30 and 31 for the conduct of the national convention at the 40th meeting of the national caucus on August 27.

For the National Convention Planning Committee, he said NEC approved Fintiri, the governor of Adamawa State as the chairman 2021 National Convention Organizing Committee.

The PDP spokesman said Senator Douye Diri, Governor of Bayelsa State, is deputy chairman of the committee, while Engr. Seyi Makinde, Governor of Oyo State is to serve as secretary.

Ologbondiyan added that NEC approved Governor Ugwuanyi of Enugu State as chairman of the zoning committee.

He said Governor Samuel

Ortom of Benue State is the deputy chairman, while Barr. Mahdi Aliyu Mohammed is secretary of the committee.

He said NEC charged the committees to work hard to ensure the successful conduct of the party’s national convention.

Meanwhile, Atiku has said that PDP can go through the serious challenges it has witnessed recently and not break up.

The Wazirin Adamawa commended party members for steadfastness to democracy and the rule of law.

The PDP presidential candidate in the 2019 election commended all organs of the party, particularly the PDP Governors Forum, for the leadership they provided the party during the recent crisis.

Similarly, the party has inaugurated its National Campaign Council for the Anambra State Governorship Election slated for November 6, 2021.