If North Picks Presidential Ticket, PDP Must Conduct Fresh Convention — Bode George

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) will have to conduct another national convention if the party’s presidential candidate for the 2023 general elec­tion emerges from the North, Chief Olabode George, a former Deputy National Chairman of the par­ty, has said.

The party zoned its national chairmanship position to the Northern part of the country at its national convention last month at Eagles Square, Abu­ja. At the end of the exercise, Iyorchia Ayu, a former Senate President, was elected as the new national chairman.

Though not yet formally an­nounced, the party, led by its governors, has agreed to throw the presidential ticket open in order to allow all intending aspirants from the North and Southern parts of the country to participate in the presiden­tial primary.

It was also gathered that as part of the deal reached be­fore his emergence as national chairman, Ayu agreed to step down from his position if the presidential candidate emerg­es from the North, as the presi­dential candidate and national chairman cannot come from the same zone.

The earlier belief was that if Ayu steps down, the Depu­ty National Chairman (South) will assume office as the par­ty’s helmsman.

Many believe it was why the position was hotly contested for between Olagunsoye Oyinlola, former Osun State governor and Taofeek Arapaja, former deputy governor of Oyo State, who eventually won the elec­tion.

However, speaking exclu­sively with Daily Independent, George, who kicked against throwing the presidential tick­et open, said the South should produce the party’s flagbearer since the North already has na­tional chairman.

He said the party will have to conduct another convention to rezone all the positions if a Northerner wins the presiden­tial ticket.

He said, “Once the presiden­tial candidate emerges from the North, we will have to go back to another convention to rezone all those positions. The positions that were in the South before the convention are now all in the North and all the po­sitions in the North are now in the South. The chairmanship and the presidency cannot come from the same zone. We will have to do another conven­tion where all those positions that are already in the North will come down to the South and vice versa”.

When reminded that Ayu already signed an undertak­ing to step down if the pres­idential candidate emerges from the North, George said, “If he steps down, then we go to convention and elect a new chairman. Ayu is a thorough­bred member of the party. He knows the culture, norms and procedure in the party. He is well groomed and has a robust character. He will be truthful and honest. That is why he said if the presidential candi­date comes from the North, he will have to resign.

“We don’t handpick nation­al chairmen. They are elected at convention. So, if the pres­idential candidate emerges from the North, vice president will come from the South, Sen­ate President will come from the North, Speaker will come from the South, SGF will come from the North and the nation­al chairman will come from the South. These are serious posi­tions and must be contested for and elected through a national convention”.

On the belief by some that the deputy national chairman (South) automatically takes over as national chairman if Ayu steps down, George said only a convention can produce a national chairman as anyone who takes over without being properly elected at a conven­tion will not be recognised and all his actions will be deemed illegal.

“For those saying the second in command to Ayu takes over if he resigns, that is a load of trash. You just can’t emerge because it will affect us legal­ly. You have to be elected by a convention, not through wuru wuru or fraudulent means. That can never happen. Any­body appointed or elected without a national convention is a 419. He has no status what­soever. If he signs any letter and sends to INEC, they will reject and say they don’t recognise him and that is dangerous.

“So, if anybody is thinking in that line, they don’t under­stand the workings of the party. We will go back to the national convention and these people will emerge through that pro­cess. Otherwise, asking anoth­er person to take over without being elected is completely illegal”.

Also speaking on claims that the governors have totally taken over full control of the party, George admitted that there was a leadership vacuum in the party since there was no presidential candidate yet and the governors had to step in in order to stabilise the party.

“It is true. It looks like the governors have a role to play and I plead that they them­selves must be fair, just and equitable. He who comes to equity must come with clean hands. There can’t be a vacu­um at the leadership. The lead­ership usually should be who­ever had won the presidential ticket and until another fellow comes out, he remains the leader of the party. There was a vacuum, the presidential candidate was not available and the governors took over the management.

“Yes, there is the PDP Gov­ernors’ Forum but the way it is going, we need to be fair, honest and be genuine to our­selves. That is the only thing that can save our party now”.

When contacted, Kola Olog­bondiyan, the party’s Publicity Secretary, said there are many issues on the table concerning the issue of zoning of the pres­idential ticket but added that “no concrete decision has been taken yet”.

Also speaking, Diran Odeyemi, the Deputy Nation­al Publicity Secretary, said the PDP will look at the legal im­plications of the circumstanc­es and do what conforms with the constitution of the Federal Republic.

“The party will look into legal implications of the cir­cumstances, ensure whatever we do conforms to Nigeria’s constitution and electoral laws. Above all we shall know how to cross the bridge when we get there”.