PDP chairmanship race: Ozobia may emerge consensus candidate

Idowu Samuel, Abuja - 10.02.2008

If the current scheming within the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is anything to go by, one of the contestants in the chairmanship race, Dr. Nnamdi Ozobia may emerge as a consensus candidate ahead of the party’s national convention scheduled for March 8.

The need for a consensus candidate in the contest for the PDP chairmanship position, Sunday Tribune learnt, is stemming from the apprehension within the party on which among the crowd of contestants would be given the mandate to head the party.

So far, 25 contestants had signified interest in contesting the chairmanship position of the party by collecting the nomination forms, whereas the party has been sharply divided on who to support among the leading contenders.

The foremost aspirants include Senator Anyim Pius Anyim, Dr. Sam Oniyi Egwu, Chief Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu, Prince Vincent Ogbulafor, Chief Rochas Okorocha, Chief Benjamin Apugo, Ambassador Frank Ogbuewu, Chief Fidelis Izuchukwu and others.

Both Anyim and Egwu had from day one emerged with the best chances to emerge as Ahmadu Ali’s successor giving the huge influences wielded by their supposed godfathers within the PDP. The PDP has however been divided on the choice of either Anyim or Egwu following considerations that the two represent conflicting interests which key members of the PDP believe may not help the plans to revive the party, a reason why the idea of a consensus candidate is being bandied of late.

Some members of the party told Sunday Tribune that the choice of Ozobia as a consensus candidate is selling fast among the top echelon of the party said to have been working on how to reshape the ruling party around the transparent philosophy of President Umar Musa Yar’Adua.

Leading the group of members said to be rooting for Ozobia as the consensus candidate in the chairmanship race of the PDP are Alhaji Malami Umar, a former Commissioner in Nasarawa State, Alhaji Muhammed Baba, Honourable Ifemeni Aneke.
Malami who confirmed the possibility of Ozobia becoming the aspirant of popular choice said his background as a technocrat and as a PDP member far detached from controversy was the major reason why he might have an upper hand.

He said, “We have looked around and we have not have anybody whom the party can trust to propagate the political philosophy of President Yar’Adua among the entire members and in the country.

“He is best as a candidate because of his rich political background. He had worked with not less than seven heads of states and about fifteen ministers between 1981 and 2000 and he is also a successful Engineer and Architect.