Posted by By Felix Ofou on
Seventeen governors have concluded plans to form a new political party, partly to counter attempts at reducing the influence of those of them in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) which they fear could lead to their expulsion.
Seventeen governors have concluded plans to form a new political party, partly to counter attempts at reducing the influence of those of them in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) which they fear could lead to their expulsion.
They are drawn from the PDP, the All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP) and the Alliance for Democracy (AD), although aides of the only AD Governor, Bola Tinubu, would not confirm his involvement.
Three are from the South East, four (South South, (South West), four (North East), two (North West) and two (North Central).
The PDP men are said to be loyal to Vice President, Atiku Abubakar, and reportedly took the decision following the 'determination" of the party hierarchy to sideline them.
They believe that it may not be feasible for Atiku to actualise his dream of getting the PDP ticket in 2007, giving President Olusegun Obasanjo's alleged resolve to frustrate his ambition.
The governors reportedly agreed to set up parallel structures in their states to cripple any attempt to use the party, either for Obasanjo's alleged third term bid or to advance the ambition of a dark horse proposed by the Presidency.
The decision had been taken before the verbal exchange between the President and his Deputy, which climaxed with Obasanjo accusing him of 'dimming memory loss".
An inside source insisted that the story about the new party is true and that its formation became inevitable since AD that was the first choice of the pro-Atiku group seems no longer relevant as a result of the factional crisis in the party.
He said Atiku's supporters are not likely to leave the PDP without putting up a major challenge: 'That's why we are insisting that the convention should hold by November as earlier scheduled. But because they know we will win, they are trying to shift it indefinitely. There's no way we will allow such an aberration without stiff resistance".
Atiku, speaking in Abuja last week at the workshop organised by Global Rights (an international NGO) called on parties to hold their conventions in conformity with democratic norms.
To give fillip to the new plan, one of the governors from the South South was said to have summoned a meeting of stakeholders in the state to solicit their support.
He directed that a structure separate from that of the PDP be set up, consisting of executives at ward and council levels as 'time is not on our side in the formation of the new party".
But some of the stakeholders were said to be unhappy about the directive, preferring to remain in the PDP, which they believe is the party to look up to even in 2007, notwithstanding the conflict in its ranks in Abuja.