Why delegates picked Baraje as PDP National Secretary

Idowu Samuel, Abuja - -09.03.2008

Following last minute resolve by Senator Tunde Ogbeha to withdraw from the race for the National Secretary office of the Peoples Democratic Party(PDP), Alhaji Abubakar Kawu Baraje received overwhelming support from delegates at the PDP National Convention held on Sunday.

Ogbeha, a strong contender in the contest for the office of PDP National Secretary announced his decision to step down at the venue of the National Convention through a press statement issued by a member of his Campaign Organisation, Mr. Kola Ologbondiyan.

Ogbeha in the statement said his withdrawal from the race was meant to allow peace and cohesion to reign in the PDP, the North- central geo-political zone as well as in Nigeria.

He nonetheless pledged loyalty to the PDP, stating “I have viewed the current situation in our party and after due consultations with my campaign organisation and numerous supporters across our nation, I have decided to withdraw from the race for National Secretary of our great party, the PDP.

The North-central governors had presented Baraje as their consensus candidate a day before the last zonal congress in Nasarawa and had equally resolved to approve an existing zonal arrangement which made Kwara state the most favoured among the North-central states for the post of PDP national scribe.

A committee of the PDP headed by Senator David Mark had in September 2007 zoned the post of National Secretary of the PDP to Kwara and Kogi state, where as the governors from the zone had last week resolved to allow Kwara state take the shot on some considerations.

The north-central governors were said to have considered three factors in knocking off Ogbeha from the race. They were said to have resolved that it would not be right to allow Kogi state to produce the next PDP National Secretary since the former National Chairman, Chief Ahmadu Ali hails from Kogi state.

The governors it was learnt, agreed to concede the position to Kwara on the basis that since 1999, no member of the party from the state had held any major position in the ruling party through a zonal arrangement.

The third factor said to have made the north-central governors favoured Baraje was that the state had in 2005 willingly conceded the post of PDP Chairman to Kogi state even when it was glaring that it was in a better stead to cling the post, a reason why it was easy for the current chairman to emerge.