By Mideno Bayagbon
The 14 Governors under the Peoples Democratic Party have gone into a crucial meeting to further chart the way forward and ensure that the party’s primary holding today at the Adokiye Amiesimaka stadium, Port Harcourt, Rivers state, is not only seen to be fair but also transparent and credible.
Meeting under the chairmanship of the outgoing governor of Ekiti, Oyo Fayose, the governors will also try to see if they can reach a consensus on who to back for the presidential ticket of the party as a way of avoiding a rancorous outcome.
It is widely known that unless the party manages its presidential primary very transparently, the outcome could lead to the implosion of the party.
One of the major reasons which made the governors meeting urgent is the pressure being piled on them by the various aspirants and groups, especially that led by General Aliyu Gusau, on the prompting of the retired Generals and some northern elders.
The retired Generals which include the likes of Olusegun Obasanjo, Ibrahim BAdamasi Babangida, Abdulsalami Abubakar and TY Danjuma are said to be canvassing for a candidate who can beat the incumbent president, Muhammadu Buhari in the presidential election next year.
Late last night, into this morning, the representative of the generals and elders, headed by General Gusau, have been going round all the aspirants, leaders and delegates trying to impress it on them why the Waziri Adamawa, former vice president Atiku Abubakar, should be given the nod to fly the party’s flag.
The PDP Governors Forum, among whom are two presidential aspirants: Aminu Tambuwal and Ibrahim Dankwambo, has the herculean task of deciding whether to back one of their own, or acquiesce to the demand of the Generals and the northern elders.
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