Posted by By Jide Ajani, Political Editor on
LAGOS - FORMER Chief of General Staff (CGS), Vice Admiral Mike Akhigbe and chairman of the defunct OMPADEC, Chief Albert Horsfall, have indicated their interest in the 2007 Presidential race....
LAGOS - FORMER Chief of General Staff (CGS), Vice Admiral Mike Akhigbe and chairman of the defunct OMPADEC, Chief Albert Horsfall, have indicated their interest in the 2007 Presidential race ahead of plan by the ruling PDP to effect a massive amendment of the guidelines for the selection of its candidates for the elections.
Admiral Akhigbe and Chief Horsfall are from the South-South and they join Governor Victor Attah of Akwa Ibom and Peter Odili of Rivers who had earlier declared their interest.
Chairman of the South-South Elders and Leaders, Chief Edwin Clark, in a statement in Lagos yesterday at the end of an emergency meeting of the group said he expected more presidential aspirants from the zone.
He said: 'The South-South Elders and Leaders also re-affirmed, as part of the decision taken at Calabar meeting, that the South-South geo-political zone has not entered into any alliance with any other zone to present a joint presidential candidate. It directed that our demand for presidency should be confirmed to South-South geo-political zone."
Besides, the Reconciliation Committee members headed by Chief Ukandi Gabriel Ogar of Cross River State were invited to the emergency meeting and asked to continue with the reconciliation work. The reconciliation committee will hold its first meeting in Yenagua, Beyelsa State soon while efforts are being made to contract parties involved.
The South-South Elders resolved that prominent Nigerians including the major political parties should be approached with a view to explaining the position of the South-South. To this end, it decided to establish a South-South Elders and Leaders Forum contact office in Abuja.
The following standing committees which were set up at the Calabar meeting were reviewed: Finance Committee, headed by Chief M.T. Mbu; Policy and Strategic Committee headed by Mr. Tunde Lakoju; Reconciliation Committee to be chaired by Chief Ukandi Gabriel Ogar, and Publicity Committee, with Mr. Mike Ezekhome as chairman.
Among the prominent delegates who attended the meeting were Chief Clark, chairman and convener; Vice Admiral Akhigbe; Chief A.K. Horsfall; Chief Hope Harriman; Dr. Bolere Ketebu; Sir Michael Ihama, Dr. Emmanuel Nsan and Chief Godwin Ogbetuo.
PDP screening
Vanguard gathered that the next National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting of thePDP will effectively take charge of the planned amendment of the guidelines on the elections of candidates.
Some leaders of the party are said to be insisting that any delegates' list should be vetted by President Olusegun Obasanjo so that those considered as fifth columnists would not have a field day.
A major force with the party, made up of state chairmen of the party and strong loyalists of President Obasanjo, are already thinking in that direction with a view to ensuring that 'the right calibre of aspirants who would become our party candidates emerge through this rigorous and transparent process," a member of the party NEC told Vanguard.
Vanguard was reliably informed that growing concerns on the conduct of Dr Ahmadu Ali, especially alleged attempt to tamper with the existing structure of the party in some states may have irked President Obasanjo and some other leaders of the party who believe in a disciplined and principled political party 'that we want the PDP to be."
Specifically, the recent confusion which engulfed the Delta State Chapter of the party as a result of a supposed new arrangement. Vanguard learnt that a directive had allegedly emanated from the Office of the National Chairman of PDP which sought to hand the structure of the party, delegates to its primaries and all, to another contender for the governorship.
The guidelines of the party, which Vanguard published fully, suggest that the national chairman would play a pivotal role, apart from the president, in determining who emerge as candidates for the party.
The proposed amendments to the party guidelines would seek to reduce the powers of the national chairman in determining who gets what.