The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Governors’ Forum has disagreed with the idea of a consensus candidate as the party’s presidential flag-bearer, Daily Independent gathered on Tuesday night.
The governors also agreed that the party’s National Convention, where its presidential candidate would emerge, should be held in Port Harcourt, Rivers State capital.
It would be recalled that the governors had in their communiqué issued on Monday resolved to have an all-inclusive meeting that will have in attendance all the party’s presidential aspirants.
A source at the meeting on Tuesday told our correspondent that the governors had resolved that all the presidential aspirants should go for the primaries.
“The governors disagreed with the issue of consensus candidate. They said that all the aspirants should go for the primaries to avoid unforeseen development. They want a contest among the aspirant so that the best can emerge,” the source stated.
On the issue of convention, the source added that Enugu, Akwa Ibom and Rivers States were suggested. Enugu and Akwa Ibom were, however, discarded because of accommodation concerns.
“The issue of where to hold the convention came up. Enugu, Akwa Ibom and Rivers states were suggested, but Rivers State was selected,” our source said.
“Enugu and Akwa Ibom were discarded because there are not enough hotels to accommodate the people that will come for the convention. Rivers State has enough accommodation; that was why it was selected.”
Meanwhile, indications emerged on Tuesday that close to twenty-three Peoples Democratic Party’s (PDP) lawmakers in the House of Representatives are set to defect to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
The members, it was gathered, are miffed by the ongoing culture of imposition of candidates by their state governors who jettison legislators with high performance rate and institutional memories in favour of their anointed candidates.
This was revealed at a meeting held with the committee that oversees smooth nomination of all PDP candidates across the states which reportedly ended in a fiasco last week.
The APC, according to sources, is equally dangling automatic tickets before the lawmakers immediately they defect from the PDP.
A source privy to this grand design to dump the opposition party said the aggrieved lawmakers want to dump the party due to the attitude of governors who are refusing to reward performance in favour of their so-called anointed candidates.
“We want to leave not because it is our wish but the governors have pushed us to the wall and we are all moving.
“We have fought both physically and mentally to defend PDP and democracy and, despite our commitment to the party and democracy, see what the governors are doing to us,” one of the aggrieved members said anonymously.
It was also gathered that the lawmakers were demanding an early resumption as there were speculations that the National Assembly might not reconvene till October.
“Why we are insisting that the National Assembly should resume early is to enable us perfect our defection strategy for good,” the source added.
Our correspondent gathered that states mostly affected by this defection moves are Gombe, Benue, Kogi, Enugu, Ekiti, and Anambra states.
However, in the case of Cross River State, it was gathered that situations were normalising to a resolution as the governor was said to have “mellowed” down.
Some other South-East states with vibrant lawmakers are affected as they have also vowed to defect if their governors don’t relax the noose tied around their necks.
All efforts to reach the Deputy Minority Leader, Chukwuma Oyema, to comment on the issue proved abortive as his two lines were switched off.
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