Kogi Guber: Battle for PDP Ticket Intensifies
Despite pegging the fee for its governorship nomination form at N24 million, about nine out of over 15 aspirants in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), in Kogi State have officially purchased forms for the forthcoming primary.
The implication is that the party still has a strong presence in the state even though the incumbent governor, Yahaya Bello is of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
Though the chances of the PDP winning the governorship election may depend on the candidate it eventually fields, unless it puts its house in order, defeating Governor Bello, who has indicated interest in the race for a second tenure, may just be a tall dream.
Investigations reveal that, at present, there are interests and personal family feuds, all of which have created deep divisions within the party. One clear instance is the feud between the families of the two dominant PDP figures in the state; former governors Ibrahim Idris and Idris Wada.
The battle for control of the party structure between both men intensified in the run up to the state congress and their feud became even more evident recently at the Confluence Stadium, Lokoja, where the election of party officials took place.
Immediately Ibrahim Idris arrived the stadium, most people sitting at the podium stood up to welcome him, including the governorship aspirants; Tunde Ogbeha, Sola Akanmode , but Wada neither stood nor exchanged pleasantries with him. Minutes later, Idris himself had to approach Wada where he was seated to greet him and shortly after that, Wada left the stadium but returned few hours later. At the end of the congress, it was Idris’s preferred party chairmanship candidate, Sam Uhuotu, who won the election over Wada’s candidate, Mohammed Omuya.
It is alleged that Wada’s younger brother, Musa, who is married to one of Idris’ daughters, is being sponsored to contest against him by Mohammed, one of Idris’s sons and a former member of the House of Representatives member. There were speculations within the political circles that in 2011, Musa was initially Ibrahim Idris’s first choice for governor, but Wada’s father, Ejiga, was the one who insisted that Wada who is the eldest son, be given the governorship ticket. This was said to have irked Mohammed and the other sons of Idris who were said to favour Isa Echocho as the one to succeed their father.
A similar tussle for power is also playing out in the APC as Mohammed and Mona Mustapha , the two sons of late Prince Abubakar Audu are at each other’s throat for the APC governorship ticket.
However, in the PDP, those who have obtained their nomination forms from the national headquarters of the party at the time of filling this report are: Idris Wada, Senator Dino Melaye, Abubakar Idris, (the eldest son of Ibrahim Idris), Joe Erico, Aminu Suleiman, Musa Wada, Victor Adoji, Saliu Atawodi and Muhammad Shaibu.
The implication is that the party still has a strong presence in the state even though the incumbent governor, Yahaya Bello is of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
Though the chances of the PDP winning the governorship election may depend on the candidate it eventually fields, unless it puts its house in order, defeating Governor Bello, who has indicated interest in the race for a second tenure, may just be a tall dream.
Investigations reveal that, at present, there are interests and personal family feuds, all of which have created deep divisions within the party. One clear instance is the feud between the families of the two dominant PDP figures in the state; former governors Ibrahim Idris and Idris Wada.
The battle for control of the party structure between both men intensified in the run up to the state congress and their feud became even more evident recently at the Confluence Stadium, Lokoja, where the election of party officials took place.
Immediately Ibrahim Idris arrived the stadium, most people sitting at the podium stood up to welcome him, including the governorship aspirants; Tunde Ogbeha, Sola Akanmode , but Wada neither stood nor exchanged pleasantries with him. Minutes later, Idris himself had to approach Wada where he was seated to greet him and shortly after that, Wada left the stadium but returned few hours later. At the end of the congress, it was Idris’s preferred party chairmanship candidate, Sam Uhuotu, who won the election over Wada’s candidate, Mohammed Omuya.
It is alleged that Wada’s younger brother, Musa, who is married to one of Idris’ daughters, is being sponsored to contest against him by Mohammed, one of Idris’s sons and a former member of the House of Representatives member. There were speculations within the political circles that in 2011, Musa was initially Ibrahim Idris’s first choice for governor, but Wada’s father, Ejiga, was the one who insisted that Wada who is the eldest son, be given the governorship ticket. This was said to have irked Mohammed and the other sons of Idris who were said to favour Isa Echocho as the one to succeed their father.
A similar tussle for power is also playing out in the APC as Mohammed and Mona Mustapha , the two sons of late Prince Abubakar Audu are at each other’s throat for the APC governorship ticket.
However, in the PDP, those who have obtained their nomination forms from the national headquarters of the party at the time of filling this report are: Idris Wada, Senator Dino Melaye, Abubakar Idris, (the eldest son of Ibrahim Idris), Joe Erico, Aminu Suleiman, Musa Wada, Victor Adoji, Saliu Atawodi and Muhammad Shaibu.
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