There are indications that fresh crisis
is brewing in the Peoples Democratic Party over the zoning of its
national chairmanship position to the South-West.
Already, one of the serious contenders
for the position from the South-South, Dr. Raymond Dokpesi, has rejected
the zoning arrangement and has picked the form to contest the office of
the national chairman at the forthcoming national convention.
The convention holds in Port Harcourt on August 17.
Dokpesi, who was the first person to pay
the mandatory N1m for the form, was represented by one of his sons at
the party’s temporary national secretariat in Abuja.
The son, Raymond jnr., refused to speak with journalists after he paid and collected the form.
The leaders of the party from the
southern part of the country met in Port Harcourt on Thursday where the
decision to zone the office to the South-West was taken.
In the meeting attended by governors,
National Assembly members and former ministers, the leaders of the part
from the Southern Nigeria, also zoned the positions of National
Treasurer and Deputy National Publicity Secretary to the South-West.
The party zoned the position of first
Deputy National Chairman to the South-South. This zone also got the
positions of National Legal Adviser, Deputy National Woman Leader and
Deputy National Auditor.
The South-East got the the offices of
the National Organising Secretary, National Youth Leader and Deputy
National Financial Secretary.
Before the zoning, there were
indications that two other persons from the South-South were eyeing the
office of the national chairman. They are Prince Uche Secondus and
Austin Okpara.
It is believed that the two men, who are
from Rivers State, have agreed with the decision of the leaders of the
party on the zoning and had jettisoned their ambition.
In furtherance of the zoning, a former
Deputy National Chairman of the party from South-West, Chief Bode George
had also picked form to run for the office of the national chairman.
George, after picking the form, promised to reposition and stabilise the party.
He said, “It takes and experience
captain to stabilise a ship hit by tornado. And if you know the crisis
in PDP, that is the position the party is facing right now.
“But I am happy that all is not lost,
and the condition has been enhanced, zoning has gone extremely well. I
have paid my dues in this party and I should not be afraid of anybody.
“Since 1999, I never left the party to
anywhere. I met crises and problems. I have been able to resolve them. I
have risen meritorious, from vice chairman South-West to deputy
chairman (South) and deputy chairman overall. I have been able to
resolve problems.
“If people vote for me, I look forward
to stabilise the party and put it in right position. The ruling party
should get ready for serious engagement because we have started a
cohesive battle ahead 2019.”
He promised to bring back those who
defected from the party to the All Progressives Congress, where he said
they remain as tenants.
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