Prince Uche Secondus, PDP National Chairman

Richard Elesho

Following a resolution on fast tracking the national convention of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, the battle on who will succeed Prince Uche Secondus as National Chairman, has moved and started in earnest within the power blocks of the main opposition party.

The power block that is most in contention for the position is the former Governors Forum of the party. Other power blocks being lobbied by the former Chief Executives are the PDP Governors Forum, former Minister’s Forum, former Senators Forum and the PDP National Assembly members Forum.

It was gathered that the former Governors who are angling for Secondus’ successor to emerge from their rank have been holding meetings to that effect.

Leadership reports that the former governors who met last week in Abuja, also deliberated on the need for the next party chairman to emerge from a state that does not have a PDP governor in order to avoid the recurrent incident where the party National Chairman and the incumbent Governor are locked in a battle royale.

It was learnt that the former Governors reflected not just on the recent incident between Rivers State Governor Nyesom Wike and Secondus, but on the history of such occurrences in the party.

The meeting of the former governors came in the face of realignments going on within the party ahead of the party’s national convention which is tentatively fixed for October.

A party source said the former governors who met last Thursday, argued that the next governor should emerge from a state that isn’t controlled by PDP.

“The former governors after much deliberation nominated two former governors, one from the North West and the other from the South West.

“But the former governor from the South West declined interest in the national chairmanship because he was more interested in the forthcoming election in his state next year. The former governors however settled for their counterpart in the North West, who incidentally is a founding member of the party.

“They are however aware that their position is not automatic and binding on all power blocs or members of the party. They are merely pushing their influence much like other power blocs in the party,” the source said