Four governors may dump
Secondus
Battle for 2019 deepens crisis
There
are moves to checkmate some People’s Democratic Party (PDP) governors pushing
to install the party’s chairman at Saturday’s convention, sources said at the
weekend.
Rivers
State Governor Nyesom Wike is leading the plan to put former Interim Chairman
Uche Secondus on the much coveted seat.
But
former military President Ibrahim Babangida, some PDP founding
fathers, ex-President Goodluck Jonathan and members of the Board of Trustees
(BoT) may have teamed up to block the governors whose ranks may have been
broken.
Four
governors, including two from the Southeast, may jettison the plan to
make a former Acting National Chairman, Prince Uche Secondus, the chairman, it
was learnt at the weekend.
A
party source said: “We are set for a make or break convention between the old
brigades, led by Gen. Babangida and Jonathan, and the governors.”
With
Gen. Babangida are founding fathers, like former Minister of Information
Prof. Jerry Gana, ex-PDP national chairmen, including Sen. Ahmadu Ali, members
of the BoT, ex-ministers, ex-governors and former Deputy Senate President
Ibrahim Mantu.
The
new brigade includes Wike, Ekiti State Governor Ayo Fayose, Deputy Senate
President Ike Ekweremadu and state party chairmen “who want to put an end to
godfatherism and hijack the structure of the party”.
The
source, who pleaded not to be named, went on: “The hidden plan of the two
groups is the battle for the 2019 presidential ticket of the PDP. So far,
it is apparent that the founding fathers and Jonathan are beholding to
former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar, to whom they want to give the ticket
“The
governors seem to have a focus on another candidate either an ex-governor or a
defector into the party. The game is tough because whoever controls the
structure of the party may produce the PDP flagbearer for the 2019 presidential
poll.
“As
it is now, the governors are in control of more delegates than the founding
fathers who are scavenging for delegates. Even ex-President Goodluck Jonathan
is not sure of the 50 per dent control of delegates from Bayelsa State.”
A
former member of the NWC said: “Gen. Babangida, Jonathan and others are
determined to tame the governors. They have succeeded in breaking their ranks
because four of the PDP governors may back out of their colleagues plans to
install Secondus as the next chairman.
“The
governors have decided to abandon their colleagues following plea from
Babangida and Jonathan.
“But
the governors have the resources to make it a battle to the finish. The old
brigades depend on goodwill whereas delegates need lifeline because the party
had been out of power for two and a half years.”
“Babangida
is crying out now because he has seen the handwriting on the wall that these
governors are in charge. The founding fathers are banking on votes from the
North to stop the governors from hijacking the party.
The
source said: “The situation is dicey. The party may end up in a deeper crisis
because the chairman that will emerge might cause a split. Once we are in a
crisis, 2019 presidential poll will be an easy ride for APC.”
It
was learnt that a former National Security Adviser Gen. Aliyu Gusau, has
been the arrowhead of the outreach by PDP founding fathers to the governors to
allow the chairman to come from Southwest. They are working for Prof. Tunde
Adeniran.
“Gen.
Gusau has been trying to restore the ideals of PDP as espoused by Gen.
Babangida and other founding fathers. But the governors may fight the old
brigades to a standstill.”
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