PDP To Establish Technical Committee On Panel’s Report on Zoning

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*Revolt looms over dominance of returnees

The National Working Committee (NWC) of the Peoples Democratic
Party (PDP) is to set up a technical committee to review the report
of the Bauchi State Governor, Senator Bala Mohammed’s, committee,
which recommended that the 2023 presidential ticket of the party
should be thrown open to the six geopolitical zones of the
country.

Mohammed’s committee was set up by the main opposition party to
find out why it lost the 2019 general election.

In its report, the committee recommended that even though there
was a clamour for the 2023 presidential ticket to be zoned to the
North-east and South-east, it should, however, be open to the
entire six geopolitical zones.

South-east and South-south leaders have since rejected the
recommendation and insisted that power should shift to the South in
2023.

However, THISDAY learnt last night that a revolt by some members
who regard themselves as loyalists of the party is in the offing
against the PDP leadership over what they call its sellout to the
returnee members who had left the party to pursue their ambitions
elsewhere but came back after their wishes met a brick wall.

They referred to the former presidential candidate of the party
in the 2019 general election, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, and the former
President of the Senate, Dr. Bukola Saraki, who had left the party
for the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the pursuit of their
aspirations only to return when they had been worsted in the
APC.

“We feel taken for granted,” said an aggrieved member. “How
could they yield the party’s privileges to these turncoats at the
detriment of those of us who remained in the party through thick
and thin? We won’t agree.”

Sensing the impending upheaval, said a reliable source, the NWC
wants the technical committee to look at the panel’s report, which
the agitators feel panders to the wishes of the said returnees, and
advise the party on the vexed issues raised in the report.

The source, who requested anonymity because he was not
authorised to speak because of the sensitive nature and the
controversy the report has generated, said: “The party is aware of
the perception of Nigerians and, therefore, will subject the report
to serious scrutiny and will come out with what is in the PDP’s
interest and the expectations from Nigerians.”

According to the source, “The technical committee will study the
report and pass its findings to the NWC, which will in turn send it
to the various organs of the party.

“The report is, to say the least, a recommendation. There are
other important issues in the report that we need to study.
Basically, the report of the committee, which is a product of the
National Executive Committee (NEC) will eventually be sent to the
NEC.

“Apart from the NEC, we have the Board of Trustees (BoT) of the
party; there is the PDP Governors’ Forum. We have the committee on
Reconciliation and Strategy headed by the former Senate President,
Dr. Bukola Saraki.

“There would be consultations with the various organs and I can
assure you that a decision of the NEC would be needed. NEC is the
final decision-making body apart from the NWC.”

THISDAY was told that the report contained many other important
issues relating to why the PDP lost 2019 presidential election.
According to the source, “This aspect as to why the PDP lost the
presidential election would be treated as a top-secret as it will
help the campaign strategies in the 2023 presidential election.

“Throwing the presidential ticket holder open is just one of the
recommendations. There are other issues, like the role of the
military and security agencies. The role the military played in the
2019 election is a study itself because it shows how partial or
impartial the military and other security agencies were at the
election.

“There is the role of the judiciary during elections and
electioneering campaigns and how to ensure the neutrality of the
judiciary and what role, expected of these organs during the
electioneering period.

“So, the throwing up the presidential ticket to all the zones is
just one out of the various recommendations that the NWC has to
study. Thereafter, we will approach the NEC, which has the final
say on these matters.”

Explaining that PDP is still afar on how its presidential ticket
holder will emerge, it added: “On a final note, all our organs will
make their contributions and at last, the NEC or the national
convention will decide on what best is for the party.”

The secretary of the panel, Dr. Emmanuel Agbo, had said over the
weekend that the report did not exclude the South and indeed the
South-east from contesting the presidential ticket of the PDP.

Rather, he said, the panel is looking for a nationalist and not
a regional leader that would pull Nigeria out of its present
predicaments. He repeatedly stated that the south-east was not
excluded in its report.

However, the PDP had said severally that the report of the
committee is not final and still subject to study and approval by
the relevant organs of the party.

According to the National Chairman, Prince Uche Secondus, the
party is going to study and analyse the report meticulously and
come up with a position that will be beneficial to the party.

Also reacting through his tweeter handle, the National Publicity
Secretary, Mr. Kola Ologbondiyan, said: “Due to enquiries from our
members and the general public, it has become imperative to clarify
that @OfficialPDPNig is yet to adopt any of the recommendations
proposed by Senator Bala Mohammed’s Committee on the Review of the
2019 Elections.

“As such, it will be incongruous for anyone to assert that any
decision has been taken @OfficialPDPNig on the zoning of the
presidency ahead of the 2023 elections.

“@OfficialPDPNig leaders, members and supporters are enjoined to
note that the party is yet to take any decision on the proposals
presented by the committee.”