PDP GLADIATORS BATTLE DOWN FOR PARTY CHAIRMANSHIP POSITION

Three major contenders have emerged for the na­tional chairmanship posi­tion of the Peoples Demo­cratic Party (PDP) ahead of its national convention slated for October 30 and 31 in Abuja.

They are Iyorchia Ayu, a former Senate Presi­dent from Benue State in the North-Central region; Ibrahim Shema, former Katsina State governor from the North-West, and Suleiman Nazif, the Depu­ty National Chairman (North), who is from the North-East.

The zoning committee of the party, headed by the gov­ernor of Enugu State, Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, had few days ago zoned the position of the na­tional chairman to the North.

Ugwuanyi had announced that the National Working Committee (NWC) positions currently being held by party members across the country would be swapped between the North and South.

By that arrangement, all positions currently occupied by Southerners move to the North while those been occu­pied by Northerners move to the South.

Prince Uche Secondus, the former national chairman of the party who was removed by a Rivers High Court on Au­gust 23 is from the South while Elder Yemi Akinwonmi who took over from him in acting capacity is also from the South.

Earlier on Tuesday, Ayu emerged as the consensus candidate of the North-Cen­tral after a marathon meeting of the leaders of the zone at the Benue State Governor’s Lodge, Abuja.

Addressing journalists after the meeting, Benue State gov­ernor, Samuel Ortom, said the leaders from the six states in the North-Central chose Ayu from a number of five aspi­rants that indicated interest in the race.