By Henry Umoru, Abuja
AHEAD of the March 24 National Convention of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, aspirants to various positions, especially that of the National Chairman, rushed to submit nomination forms to beat the closing date for submission.

Saturday Vanguard gathered that the party had fixed two weeks to the convention as last day for the submission of forms, but strong indications emerged yesterday that it may extend to Monday as against today which ought to have been when the gate would have been locked against aspirants that were yet to return their forms.

Vanguard gathered as at yesterday that out of eleven persons that purchased the forms, eight aspirants have submitted. The acting National Secretary, Dr. Musa Babayo, former Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Adamu Bello  and former Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Alhaji Ibrahim Bunu stormed the National Secretariat of the party yesterday with their supporters to return their forms.

It will be recalled that the present National Publicity Secretary, Professor Rufai Ahmed Alkali; Ex Minister of Interior, Dr. Shettima Mustapha; former governor of old Gongola State, Alhaji Bamanga Tukur; former Special Assistant to the President on National Assembly matters, Senator Abba Aji; and ex Minister of Commerce, Ambassador Idris Waziri had earlier filled and submitted theire forms at the PDP National Secretariat.

Former governor of Bauchi State, Adamu Mauzu, ex National Chairman, Grassroots Democratic Movement, Alhaji Gambo Lawan and Barrister Ibrahim Shehu Birma who purchased forms were as at yesterday yet to return their nomination forms.

Also for the position of National Secretary, former Minister of Sports, Professor Taoheed Adedoja was at the Secretariat to return his forms, just as the present National Legal Adviser, Chief Olusola Oke; former Minister of Transport, Chief Ebenezer Babatope; former Minister of Education, Professor Tunde Adeniran and Oladimeji Fabiyi had earlier submitted their forms.

Also yesterday, an aspirant to the office of National Publicity Secretary, Chief Chyna Iwuanyanwu dared the South East zone of the country and the PDP leaders to collect his nomination for the position, just as he described those talking about zoning as rebels.

‘’There is nothing wrong about people meeting, but the party guidelines that I have says that for national offices and national executive will be zoned to the zone, that is where it stops, it didn’t tell me that the zone can rezone national offices; the zones have their own offices to zone, you don’t share what doesn’t belong to you.

The national has said it is for the south east, Iam from the south east and a member of the party I have fulfilled all the conditions and therefore, I don’t understand and uptill today, nobody has shown me anything concerning  the zoning, it is all in the realms of rumour and Iam too big to be operating in the realms of the rumour.

‘’Iam a leader, a PDP leader, in 1998, I contested for the national assembly, they used zoning to zone me out, in 2008, I vied for the national Chairmanship of the party, wahala for zoning, now again, you are mentioning the word zoning, the people talking about zoning have no moral justification to talk about that word because they are all rebels against zoning, I don’t care about what anybody feels about it, Iam in the race, it is for God and delegates to determine my faith.”

The PDP at the last National Executive zoned the position of National Publicity Secretary to the South East, but governors and leaders of the party met and rezoned the positions, with Anambra State getting the position of National Publicity Secretary, Imo State, Women Leader and Ebonyi state to produce the Deputy National Secretary.

With the zoning of the position to Anambra State by the PDP leaders, the present National Vice Chairman, South East, Chief Olisa Metuh, Mrs Caro Nwosu, Chief Chike Udenze all from Anambra State have picked the forms, just as Chyna Iwuanyanwu who hails from Imo State is kicking against the arrangement.