Govs reject Ortom committee’s recommendation on open contest | Anyim, Obi, Ohuabunwa, Anakweze form alliance on Southeast presidential bid
Anxiety over where the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) would emerge mounted yesterday as governors of the southern extraction on the party’s platform insisted on the zoning of the presidential ticket to their region.
LEADERSHIP Sunday gathered that the ball is now in the court of the party’s National Executive Committee (NEC) which is expected to take the final position as the most influential body of the party after the national convention, to decide where the party’s presidential ticket will go.
Already, leaders from the southern part of the country are said to be holding secret meetings with top members of NECK and the party’s Board of Trustee (BoT), asking them to intervene to stop the opposition party from plunging into serious crisis ahead of the 2023 general election.
The party had set up a 37-member committee on zoning which threw the presidential ticket open, even though the chairman of the committee, Benue State governor, Samuel Ortom, said they did not.
The southern PDP governors have insisted on the presidency coming to southern region.
The governors who met in the early hours of yesterday in Abuja said they are still aligned with the resolution of the Southern Governors Forum reached at their meetings in Lagos and Delta States.
The governors at the meeting are Okezie Ikpeazu (Abia); Udom Emmanuel (Akwa Ibom); Douye Diri (Bayelsa); Nyesom Wike (Rivers) and Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi (Enugu).
Governors Godwin Obaseki (Edo) and Sen Ifeanyi Okowa (Delta) were absent at the meeting.
Addressing the press conference, Ikpeazu who spoke for Southern governors said, “We have watched with keen interest the development in our party especially concerning the zoning. And our position is that first we are committed to the unity of our party and we have worked hard to make sure that this party remains strong and viable vehicle to rescue Nigeria come 2023.
“Be that as it may, want to draw your attention to the fact that we had agreed as southern governors in Legos and also in Delta that this party has to respect the zoning principle as enshrined in our Constitution. And to that effect, we insist that the first thing to do is the zone, the presidency to the south and we stand on that position. We have not seen any reason to change that position because the party was founded on the basis of equity and justice and we also think that equity and justice is an important pillar that will ultimately stabilise our polity towards our journey in rescuing Nigeria. Thank you very much.
“If you want to take a decision on policy, you don’t look at problems on their face and you take a decision, you take a decision and remain firm on that decision. We think that what this country lacks today is our ability to dispense equity and justice. It may be difficult, it may be a bitter pill, but we need to stand with the truth.
“I want to reiterate what the position of the southern governors on this matter is. It is not my duty to speculate on what others are doing. But you must ask yourself, what is the truth that if we do it today, we will serve the tenets of equity and justice?”
In a related development, South East presidential aspirants on the PDP platform yesterday said they have agreed to work together towards ensuring that the zone produces the party’s flag bearer in 2023.
They said their position on South East presidency aligns with the PDP constitution which favours zoning.
The aspirants arrived at the decision after an over two-hour meeting in Abuja yesterday.
The aspirants are former Senate president and secretary to government of the federation, Anyim Pius Anyim; former Anambra State governor, Peter Obi; business mogul, Mazi Sam Ohuabunwa, and United States-based medical doctor, Dr Nwachukwu Anakwenze.
Anyim who briefed journalists after the meeting of the aspirants said it was time for other zones to reciprocate support for the South East to emerge president as it has done to them in the past.
Reading the resolution, Anyim said, “We have agreed to work together as a team. We will work together to ensure that a South easterner emerges as PDP flag bearer. We intend to consult with other zones on this issue and it is based on fairness and equity.
“In doing so it is important to note that we have always supported other zones and we now expect them to reciprocate.”
On whether the meeting will lead to a consensus candidate, he said, “When we get to the bridge, we’ll cross it. But we will work together in the interest of the party, in the interest of the nation, and in the interest of South East.”
On the question of whether they have the support of South East governors, he said, “Maybe that question will go to South East Governors forum, not to us. Whatever they are doing or whatever they are not doing is not necessarily before us. So, when you meet them in their own meeting, you can ask them.”
He stressed that it would be good luck if their position tallies with that of the southern governors.
“But we are taking this position in the interest of national unity, in the interest of PDP, and in fact in line with PDP constitution. We believe that the PDP constitution favours what we are doing and we have to boldly step out with this decision,” Anyim added.
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