The build-up to the national convention of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is witnessing new twists as Adamawa State is reportedly favored to produce a consensus chairmanship candidate for the North-East geopolitical zone at the convention.

Investigations by Sunday Tribune showed that the state has extended its dragnet to other states in the zone with layers of deals and counter-deals designed to ensure that Yola eventually clinches the coveted seat.

As part of plan to reduce tension among the contending states, it was learnt that each state in the zone is already adopting its consensus chairmanship candidate among whom the zone will present a candidate at a forthcoming zonal meeting.

Adamawa State is reported to have adopted the candidature of Alhaji Bamanga Tukur, among three other aspirants, a decision reportedly unacceptable to other contenders who are insisting on taking their aspiration to the zonal meeting.

It was even specifically gathered that some forces within Adamawa were said to be uncomfortable with alleged overbearing posture of Tukur, an infighting said to be creating ripples in the states.

Aside Adamawa, Borno State is said to have adopted former Defence Minister, Shettima Mustapha, for the chairmanship with two other contenders disputing the selection as unrepresentative of the wish of the majority of party members in the state.

Supporters of Senator Abba Aji are reported to be urging their principal to take his aspiration to the zonal meeting where the six states would vote to pick a consensus candidate for the zone.

While each state is to present a single candidate at the zonal meeting, investigations showed that some states are already conceding to one another such that chairmanship candidates from such states are to take other national offices allocated to the zone under the party’s zoning formula.

It was learnt that as part of a holistic deal, Bauchi State is to retain the deputy national secretary of the party which the incumbent acting national secretary, Dr. Musa Babayo, also a chairmanship contestant, is to occupy.

Gombe State is also to retain the national publicity secretary of the party with Professor Ahmed Alikali, also a chairmanship contestant, favoured to retain it.

The above deal, Sunday Tribune learnt, is to be a subject of the zonal meeting of the party during which consensus candidates will emerge for the three positions zoned to the area namely, chairmanship, deputy national secretary and national publicity secretary.

Sunday Tribune, however, gathered that all is not well with the deal as the zonal meeting of the party might witness dramatic turn of events, despite that Adamawa is favoured to get the slot.

Reports indicated that some forces within the Presidency are not comfortable with the candidature of a “very rich and influential aspirant” in the person of Alhaji Tukur who they see as likely to be uncontrollable as party chairman.

Other doubts being mentioned on Tukur’s  candidacy include his alleged antecedents as a hard-core Northerner who might be difficult to handle in view of the expected high tension politics of 2015 presidential race.

These doubts are said to have influenced the emergence of another aspirant, Alhaji Adamu Bello a former minister of agriculture, who is reportedly being sponsored by a former president.