Fani-Kayode
Influential
Nigerian heavyweight politicians including a former Minister of
Aviation, former PDP Deputy National Chairman and a former Lagos
governorship candidate, and others are set to battle for the position of
PDP national chairman.
The Director of Publicity for the Goodluck Jonathan Campaign
Organisation, Chief Femi Fani-Kayode, is reportedly contesting the
position of the national chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP),
should the position be zoned to the South-West.
According to a report by Punch newspaper, the former Minister of
Aviation will be competing with a former Deputy National Chairman of the
PDP, Chief Bode George; the governorship candidate of the party in
Lagos in 2015, Jimi Agbaje; and a former Minister of Education, Prof.
Tunde Adeniran.
While speaking to a correspondent, Fani-Kayode’s Media Adviser,
Jude Ndukwe, said that consultations were still ongoing but did not rule
out the possibility of the former minister contesting, adding that FFK
was under pressure to run for the position.
Ndukwe who disclosed further that the former minister had been on
ground since the PDP crisis started and his loyalty had never wavered,
said;
“It is far too early to make this decision but I can tell you
that there is a lot of pressure on him from various quarters to run for a
key position on the National Working Committee of the party.
“We are still waiting for the zoning formula and the date of
the convention. It is after all that has been agreed on that we will
decide whether he will run for the national chairmanship or anything
else or not.
“One thing is clear though and that is that our party needs
strong leadership to take on the APC Federal Government. He has that
strength and passion and he has worked very hard for the party. He has
also been defending democratic values for the last two years. Meetings
and consultations are still going on so let us wait and see how it all
goes.”
There were also reports that the immediate past governor of Ondo
State, Dr. Olusegun Mimiko, may contest but sources close to the
governor could not give a definitive answer when contacted on Monday,
and also not be reached for comment as he was said to be out of the
country.
While also speaking to a correspondent, sources within the PDP said
that the South-South caucus of the party was also gunning for the
chairmanship position. However, some senior members of the party said
the South-West would not accept anything less than the chairmanship
position.
It was, however, learnt that there was a general consensus within
the party that the Vice-Presidency position should be zoned to the
South-East.
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