Niger PDP Elders, Others Endorse Tanko Beji as Chairman

Laleye Dipo in Minna
Elders, women and youth groups in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Niger State have endorsed the incumbent Vice Chairman of the party, Tanko Beji, as its new chairman.

The endorsement came ahead of the congress of the party slated for next week even as the leadership of the party also readopted the 1998 zoning arrangement for the sharing of party offices.

THISDAY learnt from sources close to the party headquarters in Minna that the decision of the groups was reached at an emergency closed door meeting held in the state capital recently.

It was gathered that before the endorsement of Beji, six others from the Niger East senatorial district where the position zoned, signified their intentions for the high office but the leadership was able to persuade five of the aspirants to step down for Beji.

It was gathered that the sixth aspirant and former member of the state House of Assembly, Abdullahi Baizegi, who refused to step down for Beji was still being persuaded to bury his interest in the overall interest of the party.

The elders and other groups felt in arriving at the choice of Beji it would be bringing ‘experience, humility and acceptability’ to the office of the state chairman.

THISDAY learnt that a former political office holder Alhaji Mohammed Santali could get the position of state secretary following the decision of the Niger south party members to rezone the slot to Lavun local government area of the state.

The position of Vice chairman according to the source has not been amicably resolved in favour of Aminu Mohammed, the incumbent Secretary of the party in the state and a former member of the House of Assembly Hajia Saadatu Kolo.

The leadership of Niger North where the position was zoned was told to resolve the impasse before next Saturday according to the source.