By Henry Umoru
ABUJA— PRESIDENT Goodluck Jonathan, yesterday, warned members of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, to abide by decisions of the party in the zoning arrangement approved and rolled out last week.

Vanguard gathered that President Jonathan had at the meeting with the PDP leadership and other members of the expanded National Caucus instructed the Acting National Chairman of the Party, Dr. Bello Haliru Mohammed, to make it clear that whatever formula the PDP comes up with must be accepted by members.

Toeing party line
He said it has become imperative for them to toe the line of the party because as elected officers, they came on its platform, adding that it will not augur well for members to now begin to work against decisions of the party.

It would be recalled that the party had at the end of its Wednesday, May 11, meeting of the expanded National Caucus rolled out the zoning formula for top political offices where the North Central retained the Senate president position; South East, Deputy Senate President even as the zone also got the office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, SGF.

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The PDP ministerial nominations list

The South West got the Speakership position, and North East, National Chairmanship of the Party.

Since the floating of the new zoning arrangement, party members especially from the North have criticized the arrangement where some members of the House of Representatives are rooting for the position of the Speakership though the party zoned the position to the South west.

The warning by the President as gathered is to save the PDP from being dragged into crisis that the party may not be able to manage, even as the party wants to be in charge of its activities.

In spite of the zoning of the Speakership to the South West, there are those aspiring for the position from other zones. They include Ogbuefi Ozomgbachi, PDP Enugu; Emeka Ihedioha, PDP Imo; Eziuche Ubani, PDP Abia; Farouk Mohammed Lawan, PDP Kano; Aminu Waziri Tambuwal, PDP Sokoto and Safiyanu Ubale, PDP Jigawa.  They are out to struggle it with Mulikat Akande Adeola, PDP Oyo and Muraina Sanbana Ajibola PDP Oyo

This came as the outgoing governor of Gombe State and Senate elect, Danjuma Goje from North East is battle ready to fight for the position with Senate President David Mark from the North Central.

Following the order by the President, the leadership of the PDP yesterday entered into a marathon meeting to deliberate on very salient issues especially ahead of the inauguration, composition of members of the cabinet as well as how to pass the message to members of the Party.

The NWC as gathered would hold another meeting with the principal officers of the House of Representatives and some major stakeholders from the North East designed to convince Goje to allow the rules and the formula to be maintained.

At the time of this report, members of the NWC were entering the second session of the meeting where the ministerial list from states also forms part of the agenda.