PDP convention: Governors vow to stop Jonathan's ally

- PDP governors are against Goodluck Jonathan's godson, George Turnah

- The governors have vowed to frustrate his ambition of vying for the position of PDP national vice chairman, South-South at the August 17 national convention

- The governors have already settled for Prince Uche Secondus as the party’s deputy national chairman

Few days to the embattled national convention of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), there appears to be more cracks in the party.

Some governors are against George Turnah, an ally of former president Goodluck Jonathan, vying for the position of PDP national vice chairman, South-South at the forthcoming national convention, Leadership reports.

Most of the PDP governors who are angry that Turnah was planning to run for the position when the zone had already settled for Prince Uche Secondus as the party’s deputy national chairman, have vowed to stop his ambition.

READ ALSO: PDP is not sponsoring Niger Delta Avengers – Turnah

Turnah, who is said to be Jonathan’s political godson, is allegedly propped up for the position by the former president.

One of the south south governors who spoke in confidence said Turnah is too young to be made vice chairman of the zone.

He wondered how Turnah who is in his thirties will manage the governors and leaders of the party.

According to him, if the party is fighting impunity, someone like Turnah ought to take the back seat and learn.

“Apart from that, once Secondus becomes deputy, someone from Bayelsa cannot be vice chairman again because both Rivers and Bayelsa belong to one block. This time around, the vice chairmanship position will go to the Akwa-Ibom /Cross River axis.

READ ALSO: Why PDP may not survive – Dokpesi

“The last time, it was in the Edo Delta zone and that was why after Steve Oru was made minister, Cairo Ojuigboh took over. We cannot afford this because it will make the party look too juvenile.

“We have told the former president to advise the boy to withdraw from the race because it is a tall order for him and besides, we are conscious of how people will view our party,” he said.

Turnah wielded influence across the Niger Delta and the presidential villa as special assistant on youth matters to two former managing directors‎ of the Niger-Delta Development Commission ( NDDC) during Jonathan’s administration.

Report has it that Turnah was in Abuja at the instance of Jonathan to visit party leaders and intimate them of his intention.

READ ALSO: PDP crisis: Sheriff lists conditions for peace

He reportedly met with Chief Edwin Clark, a former Information Minister and Second Republic senator, at his Asokoro residence on Wednesday.

The PDP national convention is scheduled to hold on August 17 in Port Harcourt, Rivers state, but the ousted national chairman of the party, Senator Ali Modu Sheriff, has asked members of the party to disregard the plans for the national convention. He wrote a letter to the chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), asking the commission to completely ignore a letter by the Makarfi-led PDP caretaker committee notifying it of a proposed PDP convention.

On the other hand, Makarfi, urged the INEC to disregard the protest letter submitted by Sheriff against the holding of the August 17 PDP national convention. He maintained that no court has stopped the scheduled August 17 convention.

Meanwhile, a Federal High Court sitting in Port Harcourt has ordered the police, Department of State Security (DSS) and the INEC not to interfere with the party's national convention.

Source: Legit.ng