By Baron Ike
In what looks like a calculated attempt to throw spanner in the works of the opposition People’s Democratic Party (PDP) which is holding its elective convention next week Saturday, December 9, members from the northern part of Nigeria are not agreeing on the zoning formula in place,
While a section of the northern PDP members said they are fine with the chairmanship slot going to the South West, another group from the zone said it amounts to micro-zoning of the position of the chairman.
The PDP had zoned its chairmanship position to the Southern part of Nigeria and the presidency to the north.
Other positions are also zoned according to how such positions or others must have been held by people from the area.
Former governor of Kano State, Ibrahim Shekarau who led other prominent northern PDP members like former information minister, Jerry Gana, Senator Ibrahim Mantu, among others at the meeting explained the idea behind the PDP zoning in the first place, another group within the larger house led by Sani Kutungi said the idea of micro-zoning the offices was undemocratic and will not stand.
HE accused the “northern PDP elder statesmen”of giving undue advantage to a particular candidate in the race.
The Southwest is believed to be the zone to produce the National Chairman of the PDP going by previous appointments that kept that slot away from the zone in the past.
Consequently, many of the contestants to the position are from the South West with the exception of Uche Secondus and Raymond Dopkesi from the South South who are also vying.
Sources said that there are attempts to force some of the aspirants to the position in the South to step down to favour others.
Therefore, rising from their meeting on Friday, a section of PDP members from the north said they are opposed to the idea of micro-zoning the slot to any area, saying it is undemocratic.
Speaking at a Channels television programme on Friday, former minister of works and a chieftain of the PDP from the south West, Adeseye Ogunlewe said they would reist any plot to stop Chief Olabode George, a member of the PDP Board of Trustees who is in the race from standing down due to the attempt to favour another aspirant.
Although he said the slot for the National chairman fits the South West, Ogunlewe also said they would be demanding for the position of the Speaker of the House of Representatives in the zoning arrangement.