The controversy stemming from the battle for control in the opposition Peoples Democratic Party has heightened.
Ahead of the PDP stakeholders’ conference on Thursday,November 12, the party has split into six groups and are currently battling for the control of the party machinery.
It was also leant that there is anger in the party over the zoning of the party’s presidential ticket in 2019 to the North. The zoning has foreclosed the return of ex-President Goodluck Jonathan as the party’s presidential flag bearer in 2019.
It was gathred that pro-Jonathan elements in the party are angry that the National Working Committee(NWC) announced the zoning to enable most of its members to retain their posts in the March 2016 National Convention.
Findings revealed that the loss of the general elections to the All Progressives Party(APC) led to the emergence of six groups in the party, The Nation reports. Each of the six groups is battling to secure the control of the NWC under the guise of reforming the party.
The six groups are: Ex-PDP governors Forum; sitting PDP governors; ex-PDP Ministers Forum/ Jonathan group; the NWC; Reformists comprising of Ken Nnamani, Ahmed Makarfi, Ibrahim Mantu, Iyorchia Ayu and others; and Northern elements, including many retired military chieftains, seeking dissolution of the NWC.
Many leaders of the party are insisting on the sack of the NWC to reform the party but members of the organ are clinging to the last straws to remain in office till next year.
It was learnt that the conference was initially slated for three days but the NWC scaled it down to two days. A source, who craved anonymity said: “All is still not well in the PDP since we lost the election.
“Most of our leaders and members believe we need to reform the party beginning with the dissolution of the NWC. But members of the NWC are locked in a game of survival. They are also using a divide and rule method to remain in office till.
“Even some NWC members are already joining groups in the party in order to retain their seats at the next National Convention in March 2016.