PDP forced to rejig zoning

ABUJA— FOLLOWING the distortion of the zoning arrangement of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, with the election of Aminu Waziri Tambuwal as Speaker of the House of Representatives, the leadership of PDP has readjusted the zoning formula of its key positions.
Vanguard gathered, yesterday, that with the South West not getting the Speakership position, the PDP may have conceded the position of National Secretary of the Party to the Zone, at least to compensate the region for the near political oblivion it is presently experiencing.
The position of National Secretary is occupied by Abubakar Kawu Baraje from Kwara State, North Central, following the special convention of March 8, 2008, which brought in the NWC with Prince Vincent Ogbulafor from Abia, South East as the National Chairman.

From left: Senate President, Senator David Mark; Peoples Democratic Party, PDP's Acting National Chairman, Mallam Bello Haliru; Speaker, House of Representatives, Hon. Waziri Tambuwal; and Deputy Speaker, Hon. Emeka Ihedioha at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, yesterday. Photo: Abayomi Adeshida

Ogbulafor was, however, forced to resign and this made it possible for Dr. Okwesilieze Nwodo to step in. He also resigned under duress, and the South East lost it to the Acting National Chairman, Bello HaliruMohammed from Kebbi State, North West.
A top member of the National Working Committee, NWC of the party, said the position which was hitherto zoned to the South South may be changed because the President and leader of the party, President Goodluck Jonathan hails from the zone.
The source said the move would heal the wounds inflicted on the South West following the defeat of Mrs Mulikat Akande_Adeola.
Vanguard gathered that the party will still zone the National Chairmanship to the North East, even as its leadership was piling pressure on Tambuwal to ensure that “juicy” committees, especially that of Appropriation, gets to South West with Adeola still being considered.
Vanguard also learnt that this was part of the outcome of the closed door meeting the party leadership held with Tambuwal, his Deputy, Emeka Ihedioha, Wednesday, at its National Secretariat.
It would be recalled that the PDP had at the end of its expanded national caucus meeting last month rolled out the zoning formula of key political positions where the North Central retained the Senate presidency; South East, deputy Senate president and Secretary to the Government of the Federation, SGF. The South West was to get the Speakership and the North East, Chairman of the Party.
But the PDP got a rude shock when members of the lower Legislative Chamber dumped the zoning arrangement even in the presence of the Acting National Chairman of the Party, Dr. Bello Haliru Mohammed, former Chairman, Board of Trustees, BoT of the party, Chief Tony Anenih, some governors, leaders of the party and elected their person.