Following irreconcilable differences, First Lady Dame Patience has summoned all governorship aspirants of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to a meeting in Abuja today on how to regain Kwara State.Investigation showed that moves by PDP to ‘capture’ Kwara State in 2015 had suffered a severe setback as all aspirants vowed not to step down for any anointed choice, Mr. Dele Belgore.
The aspirants are insisting on a free and fair process which may lead to the loss of the ticket by Belgore, who is being backed by a friend of the First Lady.
The Belgore camp did not get more than 30 delegates out of the 750 delegates from the state.
Worried by the results, the congress committee did not sign the result list but travelled with it to Abuja, where the list might be “completely changed”.
It was learnt that when the First Lady visited Kwara State last week, she noticed the disagreement among the aspirants.
It was also gathered that she could feel a “gang up” against her friend and the anointed aspirant by other governorship hopefuls.
Disturbed by the fact that the All Progressives Congress (APC) might still retain Kwara State in 2015, the First Lady at the end of her visit summoned all aspirants to a meeting in Abuja today.
A governorship aspirant who spoke on the condition of anonymity said:
“In Kwara, the First Lady has virtually handed over the affairs of the party to her friend whose anointed aspirant cannot secure victory for PDP in the state.
“The First Lady has summoned all governorship aspirants to a meeting on Monday. We were thinking of shunning the meeting but we thought it is better to go there and confront the First Lady.
“We cannot accept a situation where the First Lady will decide for the whole people. This is a sad development, we cannot be shortchanged.”
It was also gathered that the alleged backing of some governorship aspirants in Adamawa, Rivers and Bayelsa by the First Lady has created tension in the affected states.
Another source said: “What is playing out in Kwara is a replica of the political situation in Rivers and Bayelsa where stakeholders are watching how far the First Lady can go in imposing governorship candidates.
“We are all witnesses to how the ward congresses were hijacked in Rivers State and the attendant protest by stakeholders.
“In Adamawa, the First Lady is said to be backing Governor Bala Ngillari, against the PDP agreement zoning the governorship to Adamawa Central.
“Before Ngilari was brought by a court order, the party had agreed to zone the 2015 governorship to the central even though the then acting Governor Umaru Fintiri is from the Northern zone.
Ngilari had promised stakeholders to abide by the subsisting agreement while scouting for support during his legal battle for the Adamawa governorship.
In line with his pledge and the PDP agreement which was superintended by the Senate President, Chief David Mark, Ngilari initially bought a senatorial seat nominations form.
“However, encouraged by some people, Ngilari began to deviate from his pledge and decided to abandon the PDP pact on zoning by purchasing the nomination form.
“Ngilari is banking on support from the First Lady who assured him of the PDP ticket. The first Lady was said to have directed Ngilari to purchase the governorship forms which he allegedly did through proxy.
The Governor has since returned the fill out form, himself.
“Ngilari however suffered serious defeat in the recent delegate congress as other aspirants swept the polls. But Ngilari is still banking on the assurances of the First Lady who is said to be pressurizing members of the NWC to let the Governor participate in the December 8 primaries.”
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