PDP Govs Meet Today, to Zone NWC Offices, Silent on Presidential Ticket

•David Mark committee runs into brick wall

•NEC meeting holds Thursday

Chuks Okocha

Ahead of the September 9 National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), governors elected on the party’s platform are billed to meet today to discuss and assign offices in the National Working Committee (NWC).

The last NEC meeting of the party had mandated the September 9 gathering to discuss the setting up of the national convention committee as well as states and zones that would get what positions in the new NWC.

The last NEC meeting had also received a recommendation on the micro-zoning of the leadership positions, though, the NEC, the national caucus of the party, and the Board of Trustees (BoT) were silent on the zoning of the presidential ticket of the party. They insisted, as the Governor Bala Mohammed committee had suggested, that the matter be thrown open.

THISDAY gathered that the meeting today in Abuja would encourage the governors to negotiate and decide offices of the NWC that would come to their respective states.

Already, Deputy National Chairman of PDP, Elder Yemi Akinwonmi, who had been acting for the national chairman, Uche Secondus, suggested at the last NEC that all members of the present NWC should go. Akinwonmi said he was tired and ready to retire to his farm in Ogun State.

The deputy national chairman’s position was prompted by the fact that some members of the present NWC had already begun to eye higher elective posts in the executive arm of government.

In the micro-zoning of the NWC offices, the governors were said to be against the re-election of some NWC members as their continued stay negated their 2023 political ambitions.

One of the governors, Mohammed, was believed to be eyeing the presidential ticket of the party and, as such, uncomfortable with the aspirations of the deputy national chairman, North, Senator Nazif Suleiman. In his place, the Bauchi State governor was said to be inclined to allowing Borno State to have the office of Deputy National Chairman, North.

The party was said to be disposed to Mohammad Imam assuming the position, the reason, THISDAY gathered, being to give PDP in Borno State a sense of belonging.

Though this recommendation did not stop Suleiman from contesting, as doing would amount to abridging his constitutional rights.

Other NWC members affected by the micro-zoning also insisted they would go ahead and contest the offices, as the PDP constitution guaranteed them the right to contest and seek re-election.

The PDP organs championing the micro-zoning of the NWC offices, apart from the incumbent governors, include former members of the National Assembly and former governors of the party.

As at press time, former PDP members of the National Assembly had met with the NWC members at the party’s secretariat on the arrangement.

Meanwhile, the committee set up by the national caucus of PDP to resolve the inter-party crisis might have hit a brick wall in their negotiations with the Rivers State governor, Nyesom Wike. The governor was said to have insisted on an undertaking by the ousted national chairman, Uche Secondus, that he would not seek re-election as national chairman at the national convention as condition for withdrawing the two court orders against Secondus at the Degema High Court in Rivers State and the Calabar High Court in Cross River State.

The Mark committee could not, however, guarantee Wike’s request and the matter was left unresolved.

THISDAY gathered that the Mark committee would submit its report to NEC on Thursday, when the body is scheduled to meet.

Chairman of the PDP Governors’ Forum, Hon. Aminu Tambuwal, the governor of Sokoto State, in consultation with his colleagues, has summoned an extraordinary meeting of the forum today.

According to a statement by Director General of the PDP Governors’ Forum, Cyril Maduabum, the meeting would discuss party matters and strategies to reposition PDP ahead of the NEC meeting holding Thursday.

The PDP governors assured all PDP members, stakeholders, and the country of their commitment, determination and loyalty to the patriotic task of dislodging the All Progressives Congress (APC) government in 2023.

Meanwhile, the PDP national secretary, Senator Umaru Tsauri, has confirmed that the 93rd NEC meeting of the party would hold on Thursday. In a statement, Tsauri said, “This is to invite all members of PDP National Executive Committee to the 93rd NEC meeting scheduled as follows: date: Thursday September 09, 2021.”

Tsauri said the time of the NEC meeting was 11am. He hinted that the Anambra National Campaign Council might be inaugurated during the open session of the meeting.