The Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Imo State Chapter has reacted to a statement made by its Legal Adviser, Bar COC Akaolisa on a particular Governorship Aspirant allegedly favoured to pick the party’s ticket come 2014 primaries, because of an injustice meted out to the Aspirant in the past.
In a release signed by the Party’s State Secretary, Sir George Egu, and made available to Trumpeta, PDP made it clear that though Bar COC Akaolisa has denied ever making such a comment, which was widely used by some Newspapers, it wants the general public to note that Imo PDP has no preferred Aspirant in mind, as only a transparent process will produce a candidate who will hoist the party’s flag in the 2015 Imo Governorship election.
“The attention of Imo PDP has been drawn to a Newspaper report credited to its Legal Adviser, Bar COC Akaolisa to the effect that a named member of the party is favoured to pick the party’s Governorship ticket because of an alleged injustice meted out to him in the past”.
Imo PDP said it has not hurt any body in the past, as it believes in due process, as there is no need to assuage any aspirant with Governorship ticket.
Speaking to Trumpeta, Bar Akaolisa said that there was no time he said PDP had decided to hand its ticket to a presumed aspirant, adding that though as a Legal Adviser, he has the right to exercise his personal choice as a citizen, but it does not over ride that of party and the majority, pointing out that the said publication misquoted him and twisted his comment.
Meanwhile the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), at its National Executive Committee meeting on Monday (yesterday), ratified a former governor of Bauchi state, Adamu Mu’azu, as its new national chairman, party and presidency sources have said.
Mu’azu emerged the consensus candidate for the job after a rash of meetings involving President Goodluck Jonathan, PDP governors and other influential chieftains of the party, including Vice President Namadi Sambo and President of the Senate, David Mark.
Mr. Mu’azu, who now replaces Bamanga Tukur, who was forced out of office Thursday, emerged ahead of Minister of Transport, Idris Umar, a former Minister of Commerce, Idris Waziri, former Acting National Secretary of the party, Musa Babayo, a former party spokesperson, Ahmed Rufai Alkali and a former minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Ibrahim Bunu, who were all widely reported to have jostled for the position.
A party source familiar with the maneuverings and negotiations that threw up Mr. Mu’azu told Trumpeta that President Jonathan actually preferred Minister Umar for the position but was outfoxed by governors from the North-East geopolitical zone who all rooted for Mr. Mu’azu.
When Mr. Jonathan tried to insist on Mr. Umar, insiders said, the North-East governors reminded him of how they deferred to him two years ago when he insisted on Mr. Tukur for the position in spite of massive opposition from the zone.
Our sources disclosed Bayelsa State Governor, Seriake Dickson, Governor Godswill Akpabio of Akwa Ibom, and President of the Senate, Mr. Mark, joined the North-East governors in pushing that position.
They reportedly warned the president against foisting an unpopular candidate on party members to avoid a repeat of the Tukur situation where the party was perpetually in crisis throughout his reign.
Mu’azu, 58, was unanimously adopted on Sunday night at a meeting attended by President Goodluck Jonathan, Vice President Namadi Sambo, Chairman of the party’s Board of Trustees, Chief Tony Anenih; Senate President David Mark and all the state Governors elected under the PDP amongst others.
