PDP chairmanship: BOT wants best for PDP —Adeniran

A national chairmanship aspirant of the Peoples Democratic Party, Professor Tunde Adeniran, said on Monday that his endorsement alongside two other aspirants by the South-West caucus of the party‘s Board of Trustees (BOT) was for the party’s progress.

He said this just as the party’s Board of Trustee Chairman, Senator Walid Jibrin; former national chairman, Alhaji Bamanga Tukur; former governor of Enugu State, Chief Okwesilieze Nwodo and former deputy national chairman of the party, Chief Shuaibu Oyedokun, described Chief Olabode George, one of the aspirants for the party’s chairmanship position, as a committed party member and one that deserves the office of the chairman.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reported that the BOT caucus had, in a document issued on November 3, endorsed Adeniran, a former Minister of Education; Chief Bode George, former deputy national chairman of the party and Professor Taoheed Adedoja, a former Minister of Sports, for the party‘s top position.

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Alhaji Oyedokun, who signed the document on behalf of other members of the caucus, said the decision was to ensure the South-West produced the next chairman at the convention.

He said in arriving at the three candidates, the members considered such factors as acceptability, vision, experience, perception by members, winning chances, and educational exposure.

Oyedokun said the move was also to reduce election expenditure, avoid splitting of South-West votes and arrive at a consensus candidate for the zone.

He, however, said the endorsement was without prejudice to the right of aspirants to contest and did not preclude aspirants like former Ogun State governor, Chief Gbenga Daniel; former Oyo State governor, Senator Rasheed Ladoja and a chieftain of the party in Lagos State, Mr Jimi Agbaje, from contesting at the convention.

Reacting, Adeniran told NAN through the Director-General of his campaign organisation, Chief Olukayode Akindele, in Lagos, that what the BOT members had done was for the progress of the party.

“The pruning down of aspirants to three by the BOT members is a step in the right direction,” he said.

Meanwhile, the campaign of the former PDP deputy national chairman and a leading aspirant for the party’s national chairmanship position, Chief George, got a boost weekend as Senator Jibrin, Alhaji Tukur, Chief Nwodo and Chief Oyedokun, described him as a committed party member and one that deserves the office of the  party chairman.

George who paid visit to the Abuja residence of Tukur, Nwodo and Jibrin to solicit their support for his aspiration was also shortlisted by the South-West PDP BOT members, led by Oyedokun, as one aspirant that has enough experience, a criteria needed in the selection of the party chairman.

While paying homage to Tukur, George acknowledged the great role he played in the formative period of the party, saying that he observed that the first financial commitment that was made to rent the Wadata House was funded by Tukur.

Alhaji Tukur said that the PDP was founded on good principles noting that the party may have derailed along the line, but that he is hopeful that when people of strong principle like George are willing to rectify the wrongs, there is hope for the party.

He praised George for his patriotism and his unwavering dedications to the growth of the nation.

Chief Nwodo described George as an encyclopaedia and engine room of the party.

Chief Nwodo also observed that George had been consistently a strong mediator, a father figure who is not given to extreme views.

PDP BoT chairman, Senator Jibrin, said he had worked closely with George for several years and he found him very capable to lead the party.

Chief Oyedokun, a member of PDP BoT, while explaining while the board chose George among the three aspirants that were shortlisted to contest the office of the national chairmanship from the South-West, said the PDP needs an experience hand in the party’s management.