Indications emerged on Sunday that Chief Uche Secondus, who was acting chairman of the party’s National Working Committee (NWC) before the take-over of the Ali Modu Sheriff’s faction, may be the zones’ joint candidate at the party’s national convention coming up on December 9.
It will be recalled that the chairmanship position has been zoned to the South, comprising the South-West, South-East and South-South geopolitical zones.
While the South-West parades at least six candidates, Secondus is the only candidate from the South-South.
In addition to that, he is counting on the alliance between the South-South and the South-East zones to beat contenders from the South-West to clinch the position.
Nigerian Tribune sources revealed that South-South leaders had sealed a deal with the party leaders in the South-East to support Chief Secondus’ aspiration for the chairmanship position in return for the South-South’s support for the zone in its quest to produce the party’s vice presidential candidate for the 2019 election.
As a result of this understanding between the South-East and the South-South, the latter is not presenting any candidate for the chairmanship position. This will guarantee bulk votes from the two zones for Secondus.
Nigerian Tribune gathered that forces from the South-South were already penetrating the northern blocs, selling the aspiration of Secondus to members of the party from the North.
At the last count, no fewer than six politicians from the South-West had signified their intention to contest the party chairmanship.
These were Professor Tunde Adeniran, former Education Minister; Chief Gbenga Daniel, former governor of Ogun State; Chief Olabode George, former deputy national chairman of the party; Senator Rashidi Ladoja, former governor of Oyo State; Professor Taoheed Adedoja, former Special Duties Minister and Mr Jimi Agbaje, Lagos State PDP governorship candidate in 2015.
The candidates, who each commands considerable support from different states of the zone, had resolved not to step down.
Although the South-West is said to be favoured by the North for the position, its chances may be jeopardised unless it presents a common candidate at the convention.
Speaking along this line, former Police Affairs Minister, Adamu Maina Waziri, at the declaration of intention for the chairmanship position by Chief Daniel, called on the South-West to present a candidate to make it easy for the zone to get the slot.
But this counsel does not seem to cut any ice with candidates from the South-West.
While insisting on running for the office, Chief Daniel said “sll the aspirants for this position are my friends and competent people but I am the bridge-builder and the best man for the job.
“I will not step down for anyone because I did my consultations during our convention in Port Harcourt and I know so many leaders in Yorubaland who support me.
“People contest for various reasons. Some people contest to enrich their curriculum vitae, some contest to get donations while some run to win.
“It is not a do-or-die affair. It is an in-house contest and I’m running to win so as to bring my experiences to bear on the party and work on re-positioning the party.”
Similarly, Chief Ebenezer Babatope, speaking on behalf of Chief George, said: “How can anyone say George should step down for a more youthful candidate? No, that is wrong, George will never step down for anybody.
“What the party needs at this point in time is someone with maturity, experience and passion to reposition and return it to winning ways.
“I can tell you that Chief Bode George is an embodiment of all that. He is experienced, tested and trusted. He is a stickler to the philosophies of the party and he will deliver.
“You see, the elders can’t be governors but they give directions to youths based on their experience.”
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