Jonathan, OBJ Clash Over BoT Chair

Nigeria’s President Goodluck Jonathan and his political godfather, former President, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo will today engage each other in a political battle of supremacy over who emerges the chairman of Board of Trustees, BoT, of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP.

P.M.NEWS investigation in Abuja, Nigeria’s capital, where the selection process holds today, revealed that the 12 candidates for the BoT chairmanship seat could not agree on a consensus candidate because nobody was willing to step down, which made going to the poll today imperative.

Jonathan and Obasanjo are interested in who becomes the BoT chairman because of the high stakes surrounding the 2015 presidential election and the contentious zoning policy of the party.

The contestants include five Igbo political heavyweights such as Second Republic Vice President, Dr. Alex Ekweme, former Senate President, Ken Nnamani, Dr. Okwesilieze Nwodo, Chief Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu and Senator Onyeabor Obi.

A power bloc within the PDP believes a candidate from the Southwest geopolitical zone should take over the seat vacated by Obasanjo in April last year. Hence, four experienced politicians from the zone jostling to wear Obasanjo’s BoT shoes are Chief Yekeen Adeojo, Chief Harry Akande, Senator Bode Olayinka and Chief Shuaib Oyedokun.

According to sources, frontline candidates for the BoT chairmanship seat include former office holder, Chief Tony Anenih who was displaced by Obasanjo.

Anenih, it was learnt is highly favoured by the Presidency. But he will have Dr. Ahmadu Ali to contend with.

A former National chairman of the PDP, Ali is said to enjoy the backing of Obasanjo.

Others in the race are Chief Don Etiebet and the former Acting National Chairman of PDP, Alhaji Kawu Baraje.

Secretary of BoT, Wahid Jibrin confirmed that 20 candidates had earlier showed interest in the chairmanship seat, but eight of them were dropped because of the party’s constitution provision on the BoT chairmanship. Section 32 provides that only members of the BoT could become chairman or secretary.

It was gathered that the PDP has been polarised into three groups because of the 2015 presidential election.

The first group consists of pro-Jonathan loyalists who are working assiduously to return the President to Aso Rock in 2015. It was learnt that they are backers of Anenih who was recently re-appointed Chairman of Nigeria Ports Authority, NPA.

The group believes Anenih will play a vital role in Jonathan’s re-election and use his position as BoT chairman to prepare the ground for his emergence.

The second group working for the interest of Obasanjo is planning against Jonathan’s second term. In addition, the former president is said to be interested in who succeeds him as chairman, PDP BoT.

The third group is led by former military president, General Ibrahim Babangia and former Vice President Atiku Abubakar who are also against Jonathan’s stay in office beyond 2015.

The role of the BoT is basically advisory but all the three groups believe it is influential and therefore will play a crucial role in whoever emerges as the president in 2015.

Members of the BoT qualified to become chairman are: Former presidents, former vice presidents, serving or former national chairman of the party, former or serving Senate president, former or incumbent Speaker, House of Representatives who are still members of the party.

However, a group who supports an interim arrangement might carry the day.

The consensus within the group is that an acting chairman of BoT be selected pending the expiration of the tenure of the present board in July when a fresh election will be conducted to usher in another board.

—Oluokun Ayorinde/Abuja & Mayo Fabiyi