… Zones position to Southwest

The desire of media mogul, Chief Raymond Dokpesi, to lead the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) appears to have been truncated by leaders of the party from the three geo-political zones in the south –Southwest, Southeast and Southsouth.

PDP governors, National Assembly members, former ministers and other leaders from the south at a crucial meeting held in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, on Thursday, ahead of the August 17 national convention billed for the city opted to zone the post to the Southwest.

Also out of the race is Uche Secondus, former acting national chairman of the PDP, who is from Rivers State.

Dokpesi is from Edo State. Both Edo and Rivers are part of the Southsouth geopolitical zone.

Although Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu, who briefed journalists at the end of the meeting, said any party member willing to contest any position was free to do so, he was quick to advise party members to respect the zoning formula.

Also zoned to the Southwest are the positions of national treasurer and deputy national publicity secretary.

The party zoned the positions of first deputy national chairman, National Legal Adviser, Deputy National Women Leader and Deputy National Auditor to the Southsouth, while South-East got National Organising Secretary, National Youth Leader and Deputy National Financial Secretary.

PDP stalwarts from the Southwest who have signified their intention to contest the PDP national chairmanship include former Chairman of the Nigerian Port Authority, Chief Bode George, and a former minister, Prof. Taoheed Adedoja.