Following the hijack of the structure of the Peoples Democratic Party(PDP) by President Goodluck Jonathan, outgoing governors have launched a secret counter-plot to checkmate him.
The governors will challenge Jonathan’s grip on the party after the President’s handover on May 29.
They said
the President should either allow internal democracy or else they may split the PDP by forming a new party.
Apart from being the new Chairman of the Board of Trustees (BOT) of the PDP, Jonathan has also taken over the National Working Committee(NWC) with his trusted ally, Prince Uche Secondus, as the acting National Chairman.
A top source who spoke to THE NATION in confidence, said most outgoing governors and the remaining PDP governors are uncomfortable with the hijack of the party’s structure by Jonathan.
“We are all waiting for May 29 when the President would have handed over to the President-elect, Muhammadu Buhari, to talk about the future of the PDP.
“When the President does not have executive powers to direct the party anyhow, we will all be on the same page and tell ourselves the home truth.
“So, the governors are also laying ambush for Jonathan to step down from power before striking and drawing a line on how to reshape the PDP. Their demand is simple: The PDP must be reformed through internal democracy.
“If there is no internal democracy, then the party may split as long as Jonathan sticks to the control of the structure of the party.
“Nobody has ever owned the PDP and none can own it. Where Jonathan is in total control, we will opt for the realignment of forces in the polity and a new national party will emerge. Then, Jonathan can then become the PDP’s undertaker.
An outgoing governor said: “On the reformation of the PDP, you should wait till after May 29.”
There had been speculations that the governors are pushing for either Governor Sule Lamido of Jigawa State or Governor Ibrahim Shema as the next National Chairman of the party.
While Lamido was once a National Secretary of the defunct Social Democratic Party(SDP), Shema was a former Deputy National Chairman of the PDP.
But Jonathan’s camp was said to be in favour of young politicians leading the party.
The FCT Minister, Sen. Bala Mohammed, and the Minister of State for Power, Mohammed Wakil, are being considered to lead the PDP by the Jonathan group.
Meanwhile, indications emerged last night that the President struck a deal with members of the National Working Committee(NWC) to force the ex-National Chairman of the party, Alhaji Adamu Muazu, to resign.
Part of the deal was a pledge not to sack the NWC alongside Muazu.
It was gathered that the sealing of the deal made Secondus to declare that NWC members would not resign now.
A highly-placed party source said: “There was an understanding with the presidency that Muazu would go, but NWC members would remain for strategic reasons. Having fulfilled our own part of the bargain, the President is also keeping to it.
“This was the context in which Secondus spoke at the Presidential Villa on Thursday when he said NWC members would not resign. It is part of politics; there is nothing we can do.
“The alternative is for all the NWC members to go in one swoop which will create a big vacuum in the party.”
Responding to a question, the source added: “If the NWC members have their way, they will want to serve their full term in office before leaving. Or else, the party will be faced with litigations which may threaten its survival.”
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