By Henry Umoru

AFTER the Presidential primaries, the Presidential elections, and the submission of Ministerial nominees, the next major task ahead for the ruling Peoples’ Democratic Party is the making of a National Chairman for the Party.

In March 8, 2008, the present National Working Committee, NWC came on board with Prince Vincent Ogbulafor from Abia State as the National Chairman, but following some irreconcilable differences, he was forced to resign on May 13, 2010 and Dr. Okwesilieze Nwodo from Enugu State stepped in. But barely nine months in office, Nwodo too was also forced to resign following political intrigues that heralded the January 17, 2011 presidential primaries of the party.

Following Nwodo, the Deputy National Chairman, Dr. Mohammed Haliru Bello from Kebbi state (the North West), stepped in as acting chairman to occupy the office that was originally zoned to the South east geo-political zone of the country.

The recent appointment of Bello and another member of his executive, Dr. Samuel Ortom the erstwhile national auditor as ministers further emptied the strength of the NWC leading to the recent decision to hold an early national convention to choose a new executive.

The position of National Chairman of the party has now been ceded to the Northeast zone where political gladiators have now commenced  a frantic battle to position themselves and their interests ahead.

There were initial fears that the Northeast was going to forfeit the position to the Southwest zone which has received the low short end of the stick after its failure to get the office of Speaker of House of Representatives earlier ceded to it.

There were moves to get the party to move the national chair to the Southwest in the aftermath of the rebellion in the House that significantly altered the original arrangement, but the PDP members and leaders in the Northeast resisted the moves.

To pacify the Southwest, the party has ceded the position of National Secretary to the zone.  It would appear that the tension over zoning of offices in the party has been effectively doused. But then only temporarily. The stage is thus set for a battle that will be domesticated in the northeast zone for the position of National Chair.

But the aspirants doing the battle will expectedly draw their troops from the remaining five geo-political zones. The number of those interested in the coveted position keeps swelling everyday and whoever wins will take over from the acting National Chair, Alhaji Abubakar Kawu Baraje from Kwara State. The election has now been fixed for 25th February, 2012.

The candidates now vying for the top party position include Ambassador Hassan Adamu, Alhaji Bamanga Muhammed Tukur, the PDP National Publicity Secretary, Professor Rufai Ahmed Alkali; Alhaji Gambo Lawan; the PDP acting National Secretary, Dr. Musa Babayo; the PDP National Vice Chairman, North East, Senator Paul Wampana; Alhaji Shettima Mustapha; Ambassador Idris Waziri;  Professor Jibril Aminu; Alhaji Adamu Muazu and Senator Danjuma Goje; Dr. Aliyu Modibbo Umar, among others whose identities are yet unknown.

But who will the next National Chair of the party be from the North East?  This is the critical question that has, as learnt, engaged the thoughts of President Goodluck Jonathan and State Governors. The States making up the Zone are Adamawa, Bauchi, Borno, Gombe, Taraba and Yobe. It was learnt that some of the aspirants have begun quiet consultations with relevant stakeholders nationwide.

The battle is between a number of party grandees such as Tukur, Shettima, Senator Aminu, Wampana and the younger elements such as Umar, Waziri and Muazu.

While Tukur’s interest in the top party job has been much celebrated in the media he is, however, seriously challenged by questions about his age and his lack of experience in political party administrations. At 76 years Tukur would ordinarily be challenged managing a normal party. But for a party laced with everyday intrigues, Tukur’s age would be a serious challenge.

Dr. Shettima is perhaps the only one of the trio of the aged contenders with an experience in political party administration having been the pioneer national treasurer of the party. At 72 he is also faced with the issue of age, though not to the same degree as Tukur and Aminu.

Muazu the immediate past Governor of Bauchi State represents the new generation which also includes elements such as Ambassador Idris Waziri and Dr. Aliyu Umar. Waziri is himself reportedly bouncing on the goodwill of support from two state Governors in the Northeast in addition to his perceived reputation of probity.

But the permutations to guide the election of a new chairman remain for now yet to be fully deciphered and it would be largely defined by the presidency and the PDP Governors. For now the horizon remains beclouded.