The
leadership of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is facing a serious
challenge from members of the party’s Board of Trustees (BoT) over the planned
use of consensus in filling the vacant position of the board chairman.
The
Presidency is one with the party leadership on the issue.
However,the
BoT members are pushing for voting to elect their chairman which some
chieftains see as an unacceptable departure from the consensus tradition of the
party.
Party
sources told The Nation in Abuja that no less challenging is deciding which of
the geo-political zones will provide the BoT Chairman in a manner that will not
distort the zoning formula of the PDP in 2015.
About
20 top ranking members of the party are understood to have already obtained
forms to occupy the seat which was vacated in June by ex-President Olusegun
Obasanjo.
In
the race are a former Chairman of the BOT, Chief Tony Anenih; a former National
Chairman of the PDP, Senator Ahmadu Ali; a former Deputy National Chairman of
the PDP, Chief Shuaib Oyedokun; ex-President of the Senate, Chief Ken Nnamani;
and Chief Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu.
Also
to contest are a former National Chairman of the All Nigeria Peoples
Party(ANPP),Chief Don Etiebet, who is a returnee to the party; a former
Chairman of the BOT of ANPP, Chief Harry Akande and 13 others.
Some
who did not apply but are being pressurized to join the contest are Second
Republic Vice-President Alex Ekwueme and a former acting National Chairman of
PDP, Alhaji Kawu Baraje.
It
was learnt that none of the applicants is willing to step down for another
including Anenih whose BOT chairmanship was hijacked in 2007.
A
highly-placed source said: “Members and some of the aspirants are pushing for
outright election of the next BOT chairman of the PDP in line with Article
12.77 of the constitution of the party.
“They
said the election will prove to the party leaders the level of acceptability of
such a candidate to the leaders of PDP.
“The
fear of the presidency and the leadership of the PDP is that election could
create bad blood within the trustees and lead to crisis.
“The
Presidency and party leadership believe that consensus, which had guided past
choices of BOT chairman, could strengthen the unity of the party. The party
thinks that it is ridiculous to ask leaders within the age bracket of between
70 and 80 years to face election.
“That
is why the BOT has not been able to fix a date for the election. The party
leadership is weighing consensus option. But where it fails, the aspirants may
have to go for the ballot.
Another
source said: “Ordinarily, some party leaders prefer Anenih to compensate him
for the loss of the BOT office in 2007 but some aspirants do not want to step
down for him.
“They
also said that since Anenih has just been made the Chairman of the Nigerian
Ports Authority, he should forget the NPA.
“Also,
Article 12.77 ( c ) of the PDP Constitution says the BOT chairman and Secretary
shall serve a single term of five years. Some of the aspirants are of the
opinion that Anenih had served his term.”
According
to findings, if the party succeeds in adopting consensus, it may look within
and beyond the 20 aspirants.
The
third source said: “This is why some party leaders are pushing for Ekwueme,
Baraje and Oyedokun who are rated as highly-experienced in party and conflict
management.
“But
the main challenge is the zone which should produce the BOT chairman. While the
South-East is strongly pushing for it, the North wants it in line with zoning
tradition in BOT.”
Article
12.77 of the PDP reads in part: “The BOT shall elect a chairman and secretary
from members of the Board. The chairman and secretary shall also be members of
the National Executive Committee.
“Without
prejudice to the provision of this Constitution, ensure that the person to be
elected chairman and secretary respectively are of proven integrity and have
contributed immensely to the growth of the party.”
THOSE
IN THE RACE
Chief
Tony Anenih
Senator
Ahmadu Ali
Chief
Harry Akande
Chief
Ken Nnamani
Chief
Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu
Chief
Don Etiebet
Chief
Shuaib Oyedokun
UNDER
PRESSURE TO ENTER
Chief
Alex Ekwueme
Alhaji
Kawu Baraje
Source:
The Nation
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