PDP convention: Showdown at Eagles Square

- PDP will today December 9 hold its national convention

- The endorsement of Prince Uche Secondus by the southeast stakeholders caucus of the party has caused friction among the party members

- One of the aspirants, Chief Bode George had withdrawn from the race

Leaders of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) were last night bracing themselves for fallouts from the most competitive elective convention in the party’s 18-year history with about 92 persons jostling for 21 positions, Vanguard reports.

Legit.ng gathered that despite assurances from party leaders, including Governor Ifeanyi Okowa, chairman of the national convention planning committee, rancour was breaking out in the camps of some candidates following alleged de-marketing techniques adopted by some interest groups to force out some candidates.

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The media mogul, Dr. Raymond Dokpesi, who with Prof. Tunde Adeniran were providing the toughest challenge for the leading national chairmanship candidate, Prince Uche Secondus, was forced into a late Friday, December 8, press conference to dismiss claims he had withdrawn from the race.

Kola Ologbodiyan, a candidate for the position of national publicity Secretary, was also forced to dismiss reports that he had also withdrawn from the race.

Chief Bode George, erstwhile deputy national chairman of the party, at a late night press conference withdrew from the contest fuming that Governor Nyesom Wike who is believed to be a major force behind Secondus had insulted the southwest as he demanded an apology from the governor.

Nonetheless, party chieftains on Friday, December 8, were full of assurances that today’s convention would be an exemplary democratic process in which the will of the majority of 2,800 delegates would prevail.

The delegates are expected to vote for officers to fill 21 vacant positions. Reports that four positions would be uncontested could not be confirmed as at press time last night.

The most competitive contest was that for the office of national chairman in which nine candidates, namely, Secondus, Dokpesi, Adeniran, Taoheed Adedoja, Senator Rasheed Ladoja, Otunba Gbenga Daniel, Jimi Agbaje and Aderemi Olusegun are vying.

Secondus’ position as the leading candidate was further reiterated yesterday after the southeast caucus of the party endorsed him. However, other forces within the party were still fighting back with the southwest caucus and Dr. Dokpesi mobilizing to stop him.

Vanguard reported that at least two of the candidates from the southwest had agreed to step down, but those two were unwilling to go through with their plans until they knew who they would step down for.

Saturday Vanguard said it could not confirm how the late withdrawal of Chief Bode George from the contest would affect them as at least one of them had indicated he would not withdraw for George.

A final decision by the southwest caucus is not expected to be made until this morning and may be circulated on the convention ground. One source privy to the consultations said that the southwest could enter the election with two chairmanship candidates.

As part of the efforts to ensure a credible election, Saturday Vanguard gathered that delegates would be expected to vote in batches of three states at a time for all the 21 positions available including the four positions not being contested for.

Voting is not expected to start until after the process of amendments of some provisions of the constitution of the party including an amendment to allow former governors and former deputy governors as statutory delegates.

As a way of reducing the bad blood among the camps of some of the leading chairmanship candidates, the Okowa committee had made them to sign undertakings to abide by the process and accept the results.

All eight candidates still in the race as at yesterday it was learnt signed the undertaking, albeit on the provision that the process went according to laid down provisions.

The endorsement of Secondus for the position of national chairman by the southeast stakeholders caucus of the party was conveyed in a communiqué delivered by Austin Umahi, PDP national vice Chairman (southeast) at a media conference held at the Chelsea Hotel in Abuja.

He said the caucus had mandated its delegates to the convention to vote for Secondus, saying the decision was taken after a careful consideration of his “Content and character.”

“We are very conscious of the personality of who becomes the national chairman of our great party for the next four years. Based on the foregoing, we have unanimously in our today’s stakeholders’ meeting, decided that we will back an aspirant that has character and content.

“In this circumstance, and without prejudice to the right of other aspirants to this national chairmanship position, credible and transparent election, we have decided to back and vote for Prince Uche Secondus for the position of national chairman of our great party.”

The stakeholders also endorsed Colonel Austin Akobundu (retd), Udeh Okoye and Alphonsus Gerard for the positions of National Organising Secretary, National Youth Leader, and Deputy Financial Secretary respectively.

The meeting was attended by southeast PDP bigwigs including Deputy Senate President, Senator Ike Ekweremadu, Ebonyi state governor, Dave Umahi, former Imo state governor, Sam Egwu, erstwhile Senate President, Adolphus Wabara and ex-Abia state governor, Senator Theodore Orji.

Others included former PDP national chairman, Prince Vincent Ogbulafor, a one-time Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Emeka Ihedioha and the PDP governorship candidate in the November 18 Anambra guber poll, Oseloka Obaze among others.

Meanwhile, the Raymond Dokpesi for national chairman campaign organisation also last night rebuffed claims that Dokpesi had withdrawn from the contest saying that its candidate would take the battle to the convention ground.

The campaign at a late evening press conference addressed by Engr. Baba Kachallah, Director General of the campaign organization said: “It is now very clear that some PDP members masquerading as leaders are hell-bent on sabotaging and inflicting several damages on the well organised and victory bound aspiration of High Chief Raymond Aleogho Dokpesi.

“The position of this campaign organisation is that only delegates to the Convention can and will decide the fate of all aspirants on the floor of the Eagle Square and Convention grounds on Saturday, 9 December 2017.

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“We make bold to challenge the masquerades long known for their penchant for taking unpopular decisions that have brought defeat and humiliation for the PDP in the past.

“High Chief Raymond Aleogho Dokpesi has campaigned throughout the length and breadth of this country and will finish the race at the Convention grounds.

Meanwhile, Legit.ng had previously reported that ahead of the national convention of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), members of the National Assembly caucus of the party on Friday night, December 8, allegedly exchanged blows at the residence of a former Governor of Akwa Ibom state, Chief Godswill Akpabio, over the choice of the next national chairman of the party.

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Source: Legit.ng