Muazu, Umar, Gambo, Adamu, Waziri in the race for party chair

Six names are on the cards as the battle to succeed Alhaji Bamanga Tukur, who quit as Peoples democratic Party (PDP) chairman yesterday , hots up.

The President’s men, it was gathered last night, are tinkering with the list, to pick the most ‘politically’ eligible of the lot.

They are the Minister of Transport, Senator Idris Umar(Gombe State); former Governor Adamu Muazu (Bauchi), a former member of the House of Representatives, Mohammed Wakil (Borno), former National Chairman of the Grassroots Democratic Movement(GDM) Alhaji Gambo Lawan(Borno); former Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN) President Ambassador Hassan Adamu(Wakilin Adamawa) from Adamawa State and former Minister of Commerce Ambassador Idris Waziri(Taraba).

Three groups, it was learnt, have emerged on the search for Tukur’s successor.

They are the President’s Strategy Team (PST) being coordinated by Governor Henry Seriake Dickson; a group being led by the First Lady, Dame Patience Jonathan and the Board of Trustee (BoT) leaders/ PDP Governors Forum headed by Akwa Ibom State Governor Godswill Akpabio.

The groups have not been able to reach a consensus on the choice of national chairman, a decision which PDP’s National Executive Committee(NEC) has deferred till Monday.

It was learnt that the Dickson-led PST met yesterday for hours to consider which of the candidates will be most suited for the job.

The PST, it was gathered, has drawn up seven criteria, which are hinged on the prospective chairman’s ability to deliver the party’s ticket to President Jonathan.

The criteria are:

•Being a committed democrat and team player

•Rich experience in politics and party administration

•Ability to reconcile aggrieved members of the party

•Readiness to reorder PDP for electoral victory in 2015 in at least 25 to 28 states

•A good listener who will have respect for all organs of the party

•Must be a political asset and not a liability to PDP

•A candidate who will ensure free and fair primaries

A source, who spoke in confidence, said: “The search for a new chairman actually started on Wednesday morning when Tukur’s exit became inevitable. I can tell you that we have six candidates so far but the list is inexhaustible due to ongoing permutations.

“With Tukur in charge, the President’s strategists had taken the second term ticket of Jonathan for granted. But his exit has left this flank open and it has become important to be strategic before the new National Chairman is hijacked by vested interests.

“This is why Governor Seriake Dickson is leading the strategy team to ensure that all is tactically okay for the President. The team is very strong on Mohammed Wakil.

“ The First Lady and some National Executive Committee (NEC) members are, however, working on Idris Umar because he is less controversial out of the six.

“For instance, the choice of Muazu will upset Governor Isa Yuguda and some stakeholders in Bauchi. And there is no point creating crisis in any state again. There is still a cold war between Yuguda and Muazu.

“The strategists of the President are uncomfortable with Muazu, who is an in-law to former Vice President Atiku Abubakar. It is like handing over the party to Atiku. They cannot take such a risk.

“As for Mohammed Wakil, apart from being a former member of the House of Representatives between 1999 and 2003, he has no solid political base because Borno belongs to the opposition. He has limited political clout to win mileage for PDP in 2015.

“The strategists believe that a PDP National Chairman must have a strong political base. Although Wakil is loved by Governor Seriake Dickson of Bayelsa State( a loyalist of the President), some PDP leaders said the choice of PDP National Chairman must not be personalised.

“Regarding the Minister, he is rated as a loyal and contented party man. He was the anointed governorship candidate of the party for Gombe State in 2011 but he was denied the ticket at the last minute. Yet, he accepted his fate and worked with Governor Ibrahim Dankwambo.

“His sincerity, patience and political maturity earned him a ministerial slot. The thinking of the First Lady and some PDP leaders is that he can succeed Tukur.

“The Minister’s only challenge was his pro-Jonathan 2015 project which landed him in trouble recently when he bought many cars running into millions of naira. There had been pressure on the Minister to account for the fortunes he is spending on the campaign in Gombe State.

“It is left to NEC to decide who to pick among the six. Horse-trading will continue throughout the weekend.”

Some BoT members, it was learnt, are pushing for Gambo Lawan, Ambassador Hassan Adamu, and ex-Minister Idris Waziri who was present at the 80th birthday celebration of BoT Chairman Chief Tony Anenih for what a source described as “essentially tactical.”

Another source added: “The position of some BoT members is that Lawan and Adamu had been tested as administrators either in politics or public office. Lawan was also one of those who contested against Tukur. Adamu’s setback may be his old age and strict disciplinary culture which may not be acceptable to the hawks in PDP.

“Ex-Minister Idris Waziri is rated as brilliant, intelligent and a peace-building figure. The fears about him have to do with the fact that he served under ex-President Olusegun Obasanjo, who has mutual respect for him.”

A member of the NWC, who played a key role in the ouster of Tukur, said: “By Sunday, we will know who will be the next National Chairman of the party. It is too early for me to tell you now because consultations and horse-trading are ongoing.

“We are looking at all the candidates that have been thrown up by the North-East. We will screen all of them thoroughly to avoid any slip this time around”.

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