A fresh crisis has erupted within the People’s Democratic Party ahead of its national convention in Ibadan, Oyo State, as federal lawmakers from the Southeast zone have threatened to boycott the exercise over alleged plans to hijack the National Woman Leader position originally zoned to the region.
The lawmakers accused Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, of attempting to transfer the position from the Southeast to the South-South, describing the move as “a calculated provocation” against PDP members from the Southeast.
Spokesperson of the PDP opposition caucus in the House of Representatives, Ikenga Imo Ugochinyere, told journalists in Abuja that the Southeast delegation would not attend the convention if the zoning arrangement is tampered with.
“We will issue a disclaimer against the convention in two weeks and will not participate if Imo State and the entire Southeast are humiliated by those who want to rubbish a whole region,” Ugochinyere said.
According to Ugochinyere, the position of National Woman Leader was earlier zoned to the Southeast, with Mrs. Ifeyinwa Arodiogbu, the current PDP Zonal Woman Leader, widely endorsed to emerge as the consensus candidate.
Ugochinyere alleged that Governor Makinde is working behind the scenes to re-zone the position to the South-South, in defiance of the agreed power-sharing formula.
“Now that Governor Mbah and his nominee are in the APC, it is only fair and logical that the Southeast, and specifically Imo State, should produce the National Woman Leader,” Ugochinyere said.
The lawmakers urged Governors Makinde and Ademola Adeleke of Osun State to intervene and restore confidence in the zoning process.
“This party cannot afford another setback. We are appealing to Governors Makinde and Adeleke to ensure fairness and uphold the existing zoning arrangement. Denying the Southeast this position will be a grave political mistake,” Ugochinyere insisted.
