PDP, Atiku in last-minute deal; cede Senate presidency to Southwest, Southeast for SGF
By Dayo Johnson, Akure
The opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has reportedly struck a last-minute power-sharing deal with the Southwest to shore up support for its presidential candidate, Abubarkar Atiku, in the region.
A top member of the PDP National Working Committee, NWC, who spoke with Vanguard in confidence, said that the party’s presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar in a new regime of concessions, “has agreed that Southwest should produce the next Senate President.
“Also, to give further bite for a possible inroad into the southeast, the position of Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF) has been zoned to the region.”
Recall that the new development is coming on the heels of the boycott of the inauguration of the Presidential Campaign Council by prominent leaders of the PDP from the Southwest.
Also, there is the alleged financial scandal in the party with the return of funds by some National Working Committee members. Read it HERE.
Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State, who is the only PDP governor from the southwest, alongside other influential leaders, had stayed away from the unveiling of the council which coincided with the launch of books in honour of Atiku.
The source, a former member of the party’s NWC, admitted to Vanguard that the coincidence of the two developments, boycott of the campaign Council and the return of the funds, was disturbing to the party.
According to him, “to say that the issues are not disturbing is to be delusional; the coincidence was shocking and meant to destabilise us, but we will overcome.
“The national chairman had to cut short his medical leave and return so that the issues could be addressed because the development has really affected the southwest more.
“And quite frankly, Ayu, our presidential candidate and a few others have met over the weekend to review earlier power equations and permutations in order to strengthen weak areas.
“For instance, earlier before now, the plan was for the SGF to come to the southwest with the Speakership going to the southeast.
“But from all indications, the southeast power brokers within the party are more interested in the position of the SGF.
“Incidentally, those of us who believe in the Atiku Presidency is of the opinion that the party must review its earlier stance of zoning the Senate President slot to the northwest.
“So at it is now, it is the southwest that will produce the next Senate President because the earlier position of northwest would have empowered a section too much; there must be balance.”
