Obasanjo faces fresh trouble in PDP - On zoning tussle

Taiwo Adisa, Abuja - 03.02.2008

A fresh crisis is brewing within the ruling Peoples Democratic party (PDP) ,following moves by some members to battle former President Olusegun Obasanjo over his alleged attempt to influence the choice of the next set of the national officers of the party.

The ruling party had announced March 8, 2008 as a new date for its n- ational convention where the new national officials of the party are expected to be elected.

The motive of the members, mostly aspirants in the coming national convention of the PDP, according to investigations, is to purge the party of military vestiges which they believe the former president has been representing.

Sunday Tribune findings revealed that the fresh gang up against Obasanjo centers on the misgiving that his opponents have against him on his alleged attempt to upset the zoning arrangement made by the PDP on the position of National Secretary of the party which at the moment favours the North Central zone.

The alleged support by the former president for Senator Tunde Ogbeha is said to be capable of upsetting the initial agreement among states in the North Central on allowing Kwara State to produce the next National Secretary of the PDP.

According to findings, a Zoning committee of the PDP had met in September 19, 2007 with the current Senate President, Senator David Mark, presiding whereas they had initially narrowed down the zoning of the office of National Secretary to only Kwara and Nasarawa States.

A top shot of the PDP told Sunday Tribune that the meeting eventually resolved to make Kwara the only choice for producing the National Secretary on the basis that the current secretary of the PDP Board of Trustees (BOT) is from Nasarawa State.

Two of the outgoing national officers of the PDP confirmed that the meeting presided over by David Mark approved the zoning arrangement which, according to them, was documented in the minutes of the meeting.

However, the aggrieved members of the party told Sunday Tribune that they were holding the former president responsible for the entry of Senator Tunde Ogbeha into the race for the National Secretary of the PDP which ,to them, was an utter disregard for the zoning arrangement already in place.

Ogbeha, who had already gone far in his campaign to be the National Secretary of the ruling party has consistently been denying that the former president was the reason he decided to join the race.

The turn of events is however, touted to pitch the former president in a duel with the governor of Kwara State, Dr. Bukola Saraki and the political godfather of the state, Chief Olusola Saraki, both of whom are said to be eager to make the state win the Secretaryship of the PDP in the coming national convention.

Saraki is said to be more keen in making Kwara produce the PDP’s next National Secretary being the one who reportedly persuaded the state to support the outgoing chairman, Chief Ahmadu in 2005, despite having candidates for the position which then was zoned to North Central.

The permutations by the Kwara State’s political elite, according to investigations, was that Kogi State would later reciprocate the gesture from Kwara when the need would have arisen in the future.

Four aspirants from Kwara State had signified interest in contesting the Secretaryship of the PDP, although indications were rife that more would still join the race before the close of nomination for the post. The most prominent among the contestants are Chief John Dara, Bode Ojomu and Alhaji Abubakar Kawu Baraje.

Senator David Mark, who hails from Kogi ,is a strong factor in the race as he is said to have been eyeing the National Assembly and the camp of the conservative elements within the party as his support base.

All aspirants to the PDP national offices are expected to have a lev el playing field, following the declaration by President Yar’Adua to allow the principle of democracy to guide the conduct of the elections during the March 8 National Convention of the Party.