PDP May Cede Senate Presidency To Southwest, SGF To Southeast

PDP May Cede Senate Presidency To Southwest, SGF To Southeast

Indications emerged, Monday, that the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is working on a power-sharing deal with the Southwest to shore up support for its presidential candidate, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, in the region.

A top member of the party’s National Working Committee (NWC), who spoke on condition of anonymity, said Atiku, in a new regime of concessions, “has agreed that Southwest should produce the next Senate President.

“Also, to give further bite for a possible inroad into the Southeast, the position of Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF) has been zoned to the region.”

Recall that the new development is coming on the heels of the boycott of the inauguration of the Presidential Campaign Council by prominent leaders of the PDP from the Southwest as well as the alleged financial scandal in the party, with the return of funds by some NWC members.

Oyo State governor, Seyi Makinde, who is the only PDP governor from the Southwest, is a key figure in Rivers Governor Nyesom Wike’s camp, who had stayed away from the unveiling of the council last week.

The source noted that the coincidence of the two developments, a boycott of the campaign council flag-off and the return of the funds was disturbing to the party.

According to him, “to say that the issues are not disturbing is to be delusional; the coincidence was shocking and meant to destabilise us but we will overcome.

“The national chairman had to cut short his medical leave and return so that the issues could be addressed because the development has really affected the Southwest more. Also, Ayu, Atiku and a few others met over the weekend to review earlier power equations and permutations to strengthen weak areas.

“For instance, before now, the plan was for the SGF to come to the Southwest with the Speakership going to the Southeast, but from all indications, the Southeast power brokers within the party are more interested in the position of the SGF.

“So, as it is now, it is the Southwest that will produce the next Senate President because the earlier permutation would have empowered a section too much; there must be balance.”