Ahead of the September 9 National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), governors elected on the party’s platform are billed to meet today to discuss and assign offices in the National Working Committee (NWC).

The last NEC meeting of the party had mandated the September 9 gathering to discuss the setting up of the national convention committee as well as states and zones that would get what positions in the new NWC.

The last NEC meeting had also received a recommendation on the micro-zoning of the leadership positions, though, the NEC, the national caucus of the party, and the Board of Trustees (BoT) were silent on the zoning of the presidential ticket of the party. They insisted, as the Governor Bala Mohammed committee had suggested, that the matter be thrown open.

THISDAY gathered that the meeting today in Abuja would encourage the governors to negotiate and decide offices of the NWC that would come to their respective states.

Already, Deputy National Chairman of PDP, Elder Yemi Akinwonmi, who had been acting for the national chairman, Uche Secondus, suggested at the last NEC that all members of the present NWC should go. Akinwonmi said he was tired and ready to retire to his farm in Ogun State.

The deputy national chairman’s position was prompted by the fact that some members of the present NWC had already begun to eye higher elective posts in the executive arm of government.

In the micro-zoning of the NWC offices, the governors were said to be against the re-election of some NWC members as their continued stay negated their 2023 political ambitions.

One of the governors, Mohammed, was believed to be eyeing the presidential ticket of the party and, as such, uncomfortable with the aspirations of the deputy national chairman, North, Senator Nazif Suleiman. In his place, the Bauchi State governor was said to be inclined to allowing Borno State to have the office of Deputy National Chairman, North.

The party was said to be disposed to Mohammad Imam assuming the position, the reason, THISDAY gathered, being to give PDP in Borno State a sense of belonging.

Though this recommendation did not stop Suleiman from contesting, as doing would amount to abridging his constitutional rights.

Other NWC members affected by the micro-zoning also insisted they would go ahead and contest the offices, as the PDP constitution guaranteed them the right to contest and seek re-election.

The PDP organs championing the micro-zoning of the NWC offices, apart from the incumbent governors, include former members of the National Assembly and former governors of the party.

As at press time, former PDP members of the National Assembly had met with the NWC members at the party’s secretariat on the arrangement. (THISDAY)

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