PDP CONVENTION: Power brokers move against ex-Generals’ men

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A political paradigm shift is expected to be effected tomorrow in the leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) as power brokers within the party have moved against allies of some former military Generals from emerging as members of the party’s National Working Committee (NWC). New Telegraph learnt that the opposition to these candidates was to pave the way for some tendencies in the party ahead of the 2023 presidential ticket of the PDP.

The opposition party has been enmeshed in internal crisis following a court order in August restraining Prince Uche Secondus from continuing in office as PDP National Chairman. The party leadership subsequently abridged the tenure of the outgoing NWC members to conduct a National Convention this weekend in Abuja. Last week, the Chairman of the National Convention Planning Committee and Governor of Adamawa State, Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri, said the screening committee cleared 27 contestants and disqualified three including former National Vice Chairman (South West), Dr. Eddy Olafeso. Among those cleared to vie for positions in Saturday’s convention are a former Senate President, Iyorchia Ayu; former Governor of Osun State, Olagunsoye Oyinlola, and a former Deputy Governor of Oyo State, Taofeek Arapaja. Others cleared by the Screening Committee chaired by former Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Mohammed Adoke, are a former Minister of Women Affairs, Maryam Ciroma, and two former senators, Samuel Ayanwu and Ighoyota Amori.

In its seven-page report, the committee, which was inaugurated on September 23, said it screened 32 aspirants after two of them withdrew from the race, and subsequently cleared 27. All things being equal, the 27 aspirants cleared will contest for 21 NWC positions at the convention. It was learnt that some governors were part of the plot to tactically edge out the candidates seen to be allies of some of the Generals who surreptitiously want to still control the affairs of the party especially ahead of the 2023 race. Speaking on the condition of anonymity, a former member of the House of Representatives elected on the PDP platform from Osun State, said the ‘gang-up’ against former military generals is being visited on their allies in the party ahead of convention.

He said: “The current power brokers of the party, who actually finance and determine who gets what and how in the party, appear to be working ahead of the next presidential election. They don’t want anyone to directly or indirectly influence the decisions they will make in the run-up to the 2023 polls. “Have you asked yourself why they asked Arapaja from Oyo to go and pick up the form for the position of Deputy National Chairman, South? If you think that was mere coincidence, what about the timing he picked the form? “The same Arapaja that just got elected as Zonal Chairman of PDP in a tough election a few months ago in the South West.

You should know that there are strong backers for him.” Last April, Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State supported Arapaja to emerge as new South-West Zonal Vice Chairman of PDP in a keenly contested election against Olafeso backed by ex-governor Ayo Fayose Meanwhile, the party’s South-West Zonal Executive Committee has adopted Arapaja as consensus candidate of the zone for the Deputy National Chairman position against Oyinlola. Continuing, the ex-lawmaker said: “It is all to work against the emergence of Oyinlola who many of the strong forces in PDP today considered as being a loyal ally of former President Olusegun Obasanjo and of course, General Ibrahim Babangida (rtd). I think the Obasanjo effect may work against him and others perceived as such. Only about two or three positions are up for contest in the convention, the rest are unopposed.

“The governors and other power brokers simply want to draw the line ahead of the 2023 election and that is why it is po-litically exigent that they limit the influence of Baba Obasanjo and others starting from now.” Meanwhile, it is learnt that the party’s National Executive Committee (NEC) will convene a meeting to expel the party’s embattled Chairman, Secondus, from the party.