A split has emerged among northern members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) over an attempt to micro-zone the office of the national chairman to contestants from the South West who are vying for the post at the forthcoming national convention of the party.
A group of leaders from the zone had met on Thursday night in Abuja and resolved to encourage northern delegates to the national convention to vote a candidate from the south-west to emerge as the next party boss.
But barely 24 hours later, some members of the party from the north who were also participants in the Thursday night’s meeting, addressed a press conference discountenancing the content of the communique issued by the elders which suggested that the meeting had resolved to back a south-west candidate.
The group which met under the aegis of PDP Northern Elders and Leaders Forum, had issued a communique signed by former Kano state governor, Mallam Ibrahim Shekarau and former Speaker, Benue State House of Assembly, Rt Hon Margaret Icheen, where they rationalized their decision to support south-west.
It read: “Considering the forthcoming national convention, several issues of importance were deliberated upon and resolutions were reached as follows:
“The forum received reports from the three geo-political zones of the region, regarding the micro-zoning of positions zoned to them, in line with the spirit of rotation. The forum resolved that capable and competent aspirants should be identified and supported.
“The forum directed the geopolitical zones to put in place mechanisms to reconcile those that are aggrieved as a result of the micro-zoning in their zone.
“The forum re-emphasized that, rebuilding the confidence of Nigerians on the PDP as we move towards 2019 remain paramount. Therefore, whatever decision that is to be taking should be in tandem with this.
“As we head to the national convention, the forum showed a keen interest in the position of the National Chairman. After extensive deliberations, it was resolved that, in the spirit of fairness, equity, carrying every part of the country along, giving every geo-political zone a sense of participation and inclusion in the affairs of the PDP, we strongly support the quest of the Southwest geo-political zone to produce the next National Chairman of the party.
“In line with our resolve to rebuild and reposition the PDP, we urge delegates from all the Northern States to abide by this decision and vote for only aspirants from the Southwest geo-political zone in the forthcoming national convention, in the best interest of the party. This is without prejudice to the right of aspirants from other geo-political zones to contest.
“The forum considered other sensitive issues that have serious bearing on the success of the party in the 2019 general elections and reiterated the need for all and sundry to put hands on deck for the success of the party.
“The forum also, call on all members of the party to accord the National Caretaker Committee (NCC) the required support to conduct a credible, transparent, free and fair convention come 9th-10th December, 2017.”
Among those present at the elders meeting were former Senate President, David Mark, Dr Ahmadu Ali, Sen Ibrahim Mantu, Amb Aminu Wali, Prof Jerry Gana, Sen Jonah Jang, Muazu Babangida Aliyu, Mallam Adamu Maina Waziri, Gabriel Suswam, and Ahmadu Fintiri.
Others are PDP Zonal chairmen and state chairmen from the North; Comrade Abba Moro, Kabiru Turaki, Sen Nenadi Usman, Sen Solomon Ewuga, Col Bala Mande (Rtd), Sen Tunde Ogbeha, Hajia Inna Ciroma, Mukhtar Shagari, Hajia Zainab Maina, and Alh Shehu Musa Gabam.
The rest are Prof Abubakar Suleiman, Hon Laurencia L. Mallam, Hon Bello Mutawalle, Dr Emmanuel Agbo, Princess Rabi Ibrahim, Dr Baraka Umar, Hon Mahmud Abdulmalik, Sen Damagum, among others.
The group opposing the micro-zoning was led by former House of Representatives member, Hon. Sani Kutigi and former acting governor of Adamawa state, Ahmadu Fintiri who told a news conference that they were speaking on behalf of the northern youth members of the PDP.
Reading from a prepared text, Kutigi said even though the issue of micro-zoning of the national chairmanship position was discussed at the meeting, an agreement was not reached on the matter.
They said they were therefore surprised that it appeared on the communique released as the position taken by the participants.
He said the north has no right to micro-zone a position that has been zoned to the entire south.
Kitigi asserted that they had to warn about it because they would not want the south to do the same thing to the north in the case of the Presidency that has been zoned to the north by the PDP.
Kutigi said: “Various groups and contending interests are jostling for vantage positions ahead of the National Convention of the People‘s Democratic Party coming up on 9 Dec. 2017.
“The latest most obnoxious and objectionable plot is by some party members from the North who have purportedly micro-zoned the National Chairmanship of the Party to the SouthWest in a bid to accord undue advantage to a preferred aspirant.
“This is contrary to the agreed arrangement of the party which has at no time been changed. This group of people lacks any authority or voice to speak on behalf of the North as a homogeneous entity and is therefore on its own.
“Their action is hereby rejected and totally condemned. Majority of Members from the North dissociate themselves from this misadventure which patents unintended consequences if left
unchallenged.
“It is a slap on the face and an insult on the face of Southern Nigerian Politicians/Leaders that few Members from the North can sit down and determine Who to elect.
“While rejecting micro-zoning we affirm our belief in the sanctity of the larger, more inclusive arrangement which gave Southern Nigeria the position of National Chairman Of our great Party.
“Party Members from the North pledge to support only a free and fair process where a new National Chairman will emerge regardless of which place he comes, so long as he is from any State that makes up Southern Nigeria.
“This decision is to forestall a situation where the action under scrutiny is used to deny certain section a shot at the offices as currently zoned through a dubious and undemocratic means of micro-zoning.
“Finally, if the Party must reinvent itself as the true vanguard of democracy in Nigeria, it should not allow certain elements to hijack and abuse due process in the upcoming National Convention as this will only amount to going back to an inglorious past that we‘ll rather forget.”
READ ALSO: PDP chairmanship: Some aspirants tried to bribe me —Makarfi
and then