Posted by From LUCKY NWANKWERE, Abuja on
Governors of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) met on Thursday for several hours, in the Presidential Villa, Abuja without coming up with a candidate from among them.
Governors of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) met on Thursday for several hours, in the Presidential Villa, Abuja without coming up with a candidate from among them.
The Governor Ayo Fayose committee, which PDP leadership had mandated to screen and recommend one of the governors for the plum job, was expected to announce its choice of candidate on Thursday. However, at the end of their meeting, Fayose, who told State House correspondents that the list of presidential aspirants in the party had risen to seven, said his group was still consulting as more aspirants were still emerging. Among the seven aspirants, he said, six are serving governors.
He disclosed that the former Minister of Information and National Orientation, Prof. Jerry Gana, indicated his interest for the presidency on Thursday morning, explaining that following directives to his committee, its dragnet had been widened to include other members outside the Governors' Forum as 'the party does not consist of governors alone." He said that all the aspirants would be duly screened before his committee would be in position to make any recommendations.
'There was no agreement meant for today in terms of selection and in terms of recommendation. We are to meet and after consultation come up with the list, but we are pleased to inform you that seven people have so far signified interest to run for the office and have accordingly written to the committee.
'Six of them are governors and one of them is not. He is Professor Jerry Gana. He submitted his letter this morning. The seven cut across the five geo-political zones of the country, excluding the South West", he stated.
Following the development, he said the governors constituted a committee headed by him with the governors of Kwara, Gombe and Delta states, Senator Ugochukwu Uba and an unnamed member of the House of Representatives as members to consider the various applications and screen the aspirants.
Fayose said to be qualified to be considered for the plum office, all aspirants must believe in the committee set up by the party and they must have confidence in its ability to perform.
'You must state that you belong to this party and you must communicate your intention in writing to the committee. There is nobody who will want to be the president of Nigeria who will not want the input of a sitting and an incumbent president", he pointed out.
Asked if the committee had received any letter of intent from Vice President Atiku Abubakar, the Ekiti governor replied: 'Not yet."
A total of 20 PDP governors attended the meeting, with the Jigawa State governor, Alhaji Saminu Turaki, formerly All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP) chieftain, in attendance.
In a brief chat with newsmen, Turaki, who confirmed his membership of the PDP, said apart from being PDP members, consideration for aspirants would include loyalty to President Obasanjo, stressing: 'Like I said, the most important thing is loyalty to Mr. President."
Governor Sam Egwu of Ebonyi, who was present at the meeting, faulted Chief Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu's statement, saying as the leader of the party there was nothing wrong in President Obasanjo mandating the governors to search from among themselves who could be a potential president as is the practice in advanced democracies.