PDP National Sec.: Jonathan endorses Babatope to replace Oyinlola
Strong indication has emerged that the Presidency has anointed two chieftains to fill two strategic positions in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) National Working Committee (NWC), ahead of its special convention slated for July 20.
nlolaThe National Executive Committee (NEC) at its meeting last Thursday constituted a Special National Convention Planning Committee with Prof. Jerry Gana as Chairman. Other members of the committee were Akwa-Ibom State Governor Godswill Akpabio and Deputy Senate President Ike Ekweremadu, who will serve as Deputy Chairman and Secretary respectively. The convention is expected to fill the vacancies created following the exit of about 18 national officers of the party whose emergence through voice votes at the March 24, 2012 national convention, as against proper conduct of election stipulated in the PDP guidelines for congresses and convention was queried by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
Daily Sun however, learnt that ahead of a fresh zonal congress for South-West fixed for July 11, certain chieftains from the zone had got the blessing of the Presidency to ensure the emergence of the former Organising Secretary of the defunct Unity Party of Nigeria (UPN), Chief Ebenezer Babatope, as National Secretary.
Chief Babatope, who is from Osun State as Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola, was one of those who were persuaded to step down for the former Osun State governor to emerge as National Secretary at the last national convention of the PDP. Others were Prof. Tunde Adeniran, former National Legal Adviser, Chief Olusola Oke, Prof. Taoheed Adedoja and Chief Dapo Sarumi. Oyinlola was, however, removed from office by Alhaji Bamanga Tukur, who premised his action on various court pronouncements which faulted the zonal congress that produced Oyinlola and Chief Bode Mustapha as Secretary and National Auditor.
Daily Sun could not confirm if Prince Oyinlola would seek for fresh nomination, as Prof. Gana had declared at the weekend that his committee would re-open nomination for all the positions declared vacant in the NWC.
Prince Oyinlola lost out in the power game between Alhaji Tukur and the PDP governors, following his open romance with the Governor Rotimi Amaechi group to the consternation of Tukur and the Presidency. A Daily Sun source revealed that the candidacy of Babatope was being pushed at the Presidency by a stalwart of the party from Ogun State, Chief Buruji Kashamu and the estranged political son of former President Olusegun Obasanjo, Chief Bode George.
Further investigation also revealed that the former Deputy National Chairman, Dr Sam Sam Jaja, may have been sacrificed in the power tussle between the Presidency and Governor Amaechi.
The beneficiary, according to Daily Sun source, is the former National Organising Secretary, Uche Secondus, who the source noted, was to have emerged as the zonal candidate of the South-South for the Office of Deputy National Chairman at the last convention but he was frustrated from his home state of Rivers where Governor Amaechi handpicked Dr Sam Sam Jaja for the position.
Meanwhile, a chieftain of the party from Imo State, Chief Chyna Iwuanyanwu, has declared his interest for the office of National Publicity Secretary.
Speaking at the weekend with newsmen, Iwuanyanwu, who sought for the office of National Chairman of the party at the national convention in 2008 and was also an aspirant for the position of National Publicity Secretary at the discredited March 24, 2012 convention, disclosed that the position taken by the leaders of the party at the NEC meeting last Thursday has further confirmed that “the PDP is the most democratic and most responsive to the dictates of the rule of law.
“The decision will heal the wounds of last year’s convention by allowing delegates to choose their leaders through a transparent, open, democratic process,” he said.
He, however, pleaded with those handling the convention to ensure a free, fair and transparent exercise. “Now that we have witnessed the inevitable consequence of impunity and conspiracy against the will of the people, the proposed convention will hopefully facilitate the emergence of leaders who are totally accountable to the party rather than owing allegiance to the remote control of some godfathers and Pharaohs with hidden agenda.’’ The aspirant said that he has the necessary credentials to turn around the fortunes of the party in the area of effective public communication.
“Democracy and good governance can only blossom in an environment in which the people have unlimited access to qualitative information, not propaganda.
“What we need for our great party is a genuine patriot with the necessary democratic credentials, credibility, passion, integrity, to design public communication strategies in response to the unfolding complex political environment in Nigeria.
“With the recent development and the prospects and guarantee of an open, transparent election, I have decided to offer myself again for election as the national publicity secretary of this great party, because I know that I have all the credentials to make the necessary difference”, he said.
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