PDP Convention Adopts Open-Secret Ballot, Groups Intensify Lobbying
- No consensus candidates for 3 positions
BY EDMOND ODOK, ABUJA – With the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) all set for its nearly-aborted National Convention holding today and tomorrow in Abuja, the nation’s capital, the party has adopted an open-secret ballot for the exercise with consensus arrangements sealed for all except three positions as of Friday night.
The convention got an all-clear endorsement from the Court of Appeal in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, which threw out the suit by suspended National Chairman, Uche Secondus’ seeking to disrupt the process.
Interestingly, last-minute efforts to ensure 100 per cent consensus arrangement for all positions at the Convention were still ongoing till early Saturday morning as Party stakeholders, who converged at the Akwa Ibom Governor’s Lodge in Asokoro, Abuja, engaged in serious horse-trading for candidates of their choice.
Sources at the meeting confirmed that in attendance were former Vice Presidents, Atiku Abubakar, and Namadi Sambo; Governor Bala Mohammed of Bauchi state; Governor Darius Ishaku of Taraba State; Governor Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta State; Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu State; and Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State
Gracing the meeting also were two former Senate Presidents, Senator David Mark and Dr Bukola Saraki; one-time governor of Ebonyi state, Senator Sam Egwu; ex-Anambra state governor, Mr. Peter Obi, and immediate past Deputy Senate President, Senator Ike Ekweremadu, among others.
Speaking after the meeting on Friday, Chairman of the PDP National Convention Planning Committee and Governor of Adamawa State, Ahmadu Fintiri, said only three positions will be up for contest as the stakeholders have been unable to agree on consensus candidates.
The contentious positions are Deputy National Chairman (South), National Auditor, and National Youth Leader. In all, there are 21 seats in the PDP National Working Committee (NWC).
According to Governor Fintiri, delegates would still cast ballots for all the positions despite the reality that 80 percent of the positions in the NWC would be unopposed, explaining also that the election would be through the open-secret ballot system.
Party sources disclosed that despite intense lobbying by some individuals and political blocks as well as groups, none of the aspirants for the three positions was willing to shift grounds with each boasting about enjoying the support of party chieftains across geo-political zones’ divide.
However, it remains to be seen if ongoing last minutes shuttles and engagement would be able to change the face of the game concerning the three positions before the casting of ballots by delegates.
