There was palpable excitement among the Peoples’ Democratic Party automatic delegates to the PDP Presidential primaries in the South-west following President Goodluck Jonathan’s meeting with them in Ibadan on Sunday.
That was the fourth meeting in three weeks that the President would be having with South-west delegates ahead of the PDP primaries.
According to a source, the delegates’ excitement stems from assurances that there is hope for a better performance by the party in the region especially after it lost Ekiti and Osun states governorship seats to the Action Congress of Nigeria, ACN, after protracted legal battles.
With Sunday’s meeting
political watchers say the battle for delegates in the People Democratic Party (PDP) in the South- West ahead of its National convention has intensified.
The two frontline aspirants in the party, President Goodluck Jonathan and former vice president Atiku Abubakar have been wooing automatic delegates to the convention.
The automatic delegates are the president and vice president, governors elected on the platform of the party, members of the National Executive Council, state chairmen and secretaries, members of the National Assembly, state assembly members and party chairman at the local government level.
Others are members of the zonal working committees, including state chairmen and secretaries, and women and youth leaders from all the states and the federal capital territory.
However, ministers special advisers, ambassadors, special assistants at the federal and states levels who had constituted the bulk of delegates had been dropped from the national convention, thus whittling down the influence of executive office holders.
The second set of delegates will be elected at the local government and state congress of the party.
At sunday’s meeting were Governors Adebayo Alao- Akala, Otunba Gbenga Daniel, National campaign Director General, Senator Dalhatu Tafida, former governors Olusegun Agagu of Ondo, Mr. Segun Oni of Ekiti, and Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola of Osun,.
Others are former governors of Oyo state Dr. Victor Omololu Olunloyo, Chief Kolapo Ishola and the Deputy Governor of Oyo and Ogun states, Alhaji Taofeek Arapaja and Alhaja Salimot Badru.
Also at the well attended meeting were Ministers, National Assembly members, serving local government chairmen, and the Deputy National Chairman South West of the PDP Alhaji Tajudeen Oladipo.
Support in Ogun and Oyo almost sure
Although some PDP members are unhappy about the loss of Ekiti and Osun states, Jonathan is still the favorite in the south west just as the communique issued at the end of the meeting said.
In the communiqué issued at the end of the meeting that started after President Jonathan had paid homage to the Olubadan of Ibadan, Oba Samuel Odulana, the South West Campaign Coordinator of the Committee, Otunba Gbenga Daniel said, “all the delegates of the party at the meeting unanimously, willingly and unequivocally resolved to support and vote en-bloc for President President Goodluck Jonathan’s presidential ambition come 2011 brightened in 2011 as no fewer than 585 delegates of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the South West promised to vote for him and his Vice Alhaji Namadi Sambo in the party’s primaries in January 2011.
The communiqué also read that “the meeting reaffirmed the earlier decision of the zonal caucus of the party which took place in Osogbo, Osun State in August to endorse and support the candidacy of Dr. Goodluck Ebele Jonathan for the President of Nigeria in the 2011 general election; that the meeting noted with pride and satisfaction that the zone was the first to endorse Dr. Goodluck Jonathan in the country.
“The meeting enjoined all other Nigerians to give Mr President total and unflinching support before, during and after the election; the meeting prayed for Mr President, the Vice President and all those involved in the Presidential \Campaign for God’s abiding protection, guidance and goodluck as they criss- cross the entire length and breath of the country during the campaign”.
Responding, President Jonathan said “we are committed more than ever and this will help us to work harder.on Oyo, Ogun and Lagos states. With one man one vote, PDP will have more votes than any other party across the country.”
PDP’s S-West political calculation
The meeting of the president with the delegates not withstanding, most PDP members in the South-West are still aggrieved that Jonathan could not save the situation for them in the region which they had secured since 2003.
Also, non resolution of the intra-party crisis in Ogun State might lead to a split votes during the presidential primaries.
Already, those loyal to the former Deputy National Chairman of PDP, Chief Olabode George, in Lagos State have been romancing with Atiku as they could not fathom why it is difficult to secure a state pardon for their arrowed.
The Osun delegates were said to have refused to meet the president in AN earlier meeting held in Lagos out of anger over the loss of the governorship seat of Osun States to the Action Congress.
Precedence to Sunday’s meeting
The South-West leadership of the PDP has long taken a position on the party’s presidential contest during an enlarged meeting of its stakeholders in Ibadan in August.
Led by former president and chairman of the party’s board of trustees, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, the southwest PDP declared unequivocal support for the Jonathan/ Sambo candidacy.
The PDP governors from the zone also restated the position during Dr. Jonathan’s public declaration in Abuja , in September.
However, a lot has however happened since then.
The party is obviously in retreat in the zone. It has lost control of Ekiti and Osun, a heavy blow indeed that has disconcerted it.
There is palpable fear in Oyo and Ogun States and many chieftains are blaming their losses on perceived weakness of the president and are said to be reviewing their support.
However, the unwavering support that he enjoys from General Obasanjo who is the unofficial leader of the party in the zone may continue to stand him in good stead.
The changes in the zonal political landscape may however provide leg room for a politically astute Abubakar.
Meantime, President Goodluck Jonathan’s presidential ambition come 2011 brightened last sunday as no fewer than 585 delegates of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the South West promised to vote for him and his Vice Alhaji Namadi Sambo in the party’s primaries in January 2011.
In his comments at the parley President Jonathan said the South West geo-political zone was very crucial to his presidential ambition and consequently charged leaders of the party to work harder so that the Peoples Democratic Party could win Lagos State in the 2011 polls.
He admitted that the leaders of the party in the zone should not toy with Lagos because the state had made it difficult for the party.
“We are committed more than ever and this will help us to work harder.on Oyo, Ogun and Lagos states. With one man one vote, PDP will have more votes than any other party across the country,” he added.
The meeting enjoined all other Nigerians to give Mr President total and unflinching support before, during and after the election; the meeting prayed for Mr President, the Vice President and all those involved in the Presidential \Campaign for God’s abiding protection, guidance and goodluck as they cris- cross the entire length and breath of the country during the campaign”.
This came as notable chieftains of the party who are opposed to the second term bid of Governor Adebayo Alao-Akala boycotted the meeting of the stakeholders of the party.
The meeting which was held at the ancient Mapo Hall did nit have the likes of Senator Lekan Balogun, Elder Wole Oyelese, former Minister of Power and Steel, Alhaji Yekini Adeojo, the former National Vice Chairman, South West, Senator Rashidi Ladoja, Senator Ayo Adeseun, Senate Leader, Senator Teslium Folarin and others in attendance.
Source:http://www.vanguardngr.com/
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