The North Central geopolitical zone has adopted a former Senate President, Dr Iyorchia Ayu, as its preferred candidate for the post of national chairmanship of the People’s Democratic Party.
Ayu’s adoption followed a long meeting of the leaders of the zone on Tuesday night at the Benue State Governor’s Lodge, Abuja.
Benue Governor, Dr Samuel Ortom, told journalists that leaders from the six states that make up the North Central settled for Ayu from among five contestants who expressed interest in the post.
The other aspirants that stepped down or Ayu were Senator David Mark, Ex-Governor Ibrahim Idris, Prof Jerry Gana, and Attah Idoko, Ortom said.
According to him, the leaders of the zone selected Ayu because based on their conviction that his commitment and capacity will help to stabilise the PDP and lead it to victory in the 2023 polls
He said the meeting was held to get a consensus candidate among the five aspirants. The choice would subsequently be presented to a larger meeting of the entire Northern Caucus.
“We met here for several hours,” the governor said.
“Amongst the five persons that were contesting, the leadership of our party from the North Central unanimously agreed to sponsor former Senate President Dr Iyorchia Ayu, to be the national chairman of our party from the North Central.
“There was no voting, we all agreed that he is the right person for this job at this time. Tomorrow (Wednesday) the northern stakeholders of our PDP are going to meet. So he will be presented to the northern caucus of the party. I think that by the grace of God they will also accept him”.
Ayu’s selection by the North Central does not preclude the North East and North West from selecting their own candidates for presentation and final selection.
The PDP zoned its chairmanship position to the Northern region of the country.
Among those who attended the meeting were David Mark, Dr Bukola Saraki, Prof Jerry Gana; former Kogi Governor, Ibrahim Idris, and BoT chairman, Senator Walid Jibrin.
