As the race for PDP Chairmanship tightens, Leaders from the South-West zone of Nigeria are prevailing on former governor Gbenga Daniel to step down for one of its leading candidates, Prof. Tunde Adeniran. Sources revealed.
One of the SouthWest leaders who spoke with our reporter on Friday night in Abuja on a condition of anonymity said, “The SouthWest can’t afford to go into the election divided. The goal is for us to have a consensus candidate that can match Uche Secondus”.
In a plot twist, another source revealed to our reporter that the main reason why Gbenga Daniel is adamant and would not want to step down for a consensus candidate is because, he’s working alongside governor Wike.
“How can an Odudua son work against his region and people because of personal interests? The source asked.
Professor Adeniran according to a PDP stalwart from North-Central is the ideal man for the job. His understanding of internal democracy and experience overtime as a former minister is what the party needs now, the source said.
You would recall that one of the leading aspirants for the People’s Democratic Party Chairmanship, Chief Bode George yesterday withdrew from the race citing desperation on the part of South-South leaders to impose a candidate on the party.
Chief George who announced his withdrawal from the race at a press conference in Abuja on Friday night, raised concerns about the fallout of the outcome of the convention.
Giving reasons for his withdrawal from the race, George said the South West is already cheated with the entrants of aspirants from the South-South.
He stands with the micro-zoning principle of the party, which has been jettisoned by centrifugal forces within the Southern region.
George also accused the Governor of Rivers State, Nyesom Wike of undermining members of the PDP in the South West on a national Television when he said the South West has never contributed anything meaningful to the success of the PDP.
As at the time of filing this report, there were speculations that former Oyo governor, Rashidi Ladoja, Jimi Agbaje, Former gubernatorial candidate of PDP in Lagos and Aderemi have all withdrawn from the race for Professor Adeniran.