Tension envelops the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) nationwide as the governorship primaries hold tomorrow, Monday December 8, with incumbents and those in the corridors of power in Abuja keen to install their own men.
The fear of implosion and defections by the aggrieved after the exercise is also causing headache for a top echelon too aware that the party’s biggest rival, the All Progressives Congress (APC), is waiting in the wings to grab the spoils.
The PDP controls the federal government and 19 states, APC 16, and All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) one.
But the PDP plans to use its Abuja might to widen its scope in the states through the 2015 elections by “annexing” some of those controlled by the opposition.
But the acrimony among PDP governorship aspirants is unsettling party leaders at federal and state levels.
Eight states that are particularly volatile are Adamawa, Lagos, Oyo, Enugu, Imo, Rivers, Cross River, and Akwa Ibom.
Adamawa
The battle for the PDP governorship ticket is between Governor Bala Ngilari, and an Abuja anointed candidate, Nuhu Ribadu, former Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) Chairman.
The PDP has zoned the governorship to his zone, Adamawa Central, disqualifying Ngilari, who hails from Adamawa North.
But Ngilari shunned the directive and obtained the nomination form through proxies, filled, and submitted it.
Lagos
Seven people eyeing the job – former Minister of State for Defence, Musiliu Obanikoro; Adegbola Dominic; Babatunde Gbadamosi; Jimi Agbaje; Deji Doherty; Tokunbo Kamson; and Modupe Chukwuemeka.
The PDP, in the words of President Goodluck Jonathan, is determined to capture Lagos, the epicentre of the Nigerian economy, which has never been ruled by the PDP since the current democratic dispensation.
Lagos is currently controlled by the APC.
The PDP wants a candidate with the potential to dislodge the APC but the more it tries the more problems prop up in the party as all the aspirants are bent on fighting it out down to the wire.
Nonetheless, the fight appears to be two-horse between Obanikoro and Agbaje. The interest of the two frontrunners has polarised the PDP between the camps of Obanikoro and Bode George, leader of the party in the South west.
George is said to be interested in the candidacy of Agbaje, whose supporters thought was the best governorship candidate in the 2007 campaign but was in a weak party, Democratic Peoples Alliance (DPA). Agbaje only joined the PDP in July this year.
A prominent person in the Obanikoro camp, who pleaded anonymity, complained to TheNiche that Agbaje is simply out to reap where he did not sow, and “we will not allow him.”
He added: “If Jimi is popular why did he not go to another party to test his popularity? Why did he leave his party to join the PDP?
“Afterall in Ondo State, (Governor Olusegun) Mimiko contested under Labour Party and won.”
It was learnt that the situation in the camps is tense as all the aspirants are warming up for a great battle.
However, state PDP Publicity Secretary, Taofeek Ganiyu, put a gloss on things, saying: “There may be interests like in every other party but not factions. We hope everything will go on smoothly.”
He stressed that all the candidates would be going to the turf to test their popularity. “No endorsement, the guideline said there must be a credible primary.”
On Thursday, December 4, the party warned all the aspirants to stop maligning themselves in “disguise using different groups.”
Oyo
The political temperature runs high in the PDP camp with about 12 candidates jostling for the ticket.
They include former Governor Adebayo Alao-Akala; Senator Ayo Adeseun; Femi Babalola; Taoheed Adedoja; Senator Teslim Folarin; Wole Oyelese; Azeez Adeduntan; Azeem Gbolarumi; Seyi Makinde; and Soji Adejumo.
TheNiche learnt that the aspirants are demanding that the rowdy race should take place and boiling that they would not allow imposition from any quarters, a reference to the rumour that Alao-Akala is the preferred candidate of some powerful forces.
Besides, there is the Ibadan-Ogbomoso dichotomy which is tearing the party apart ahead of the primaries.
Alao-Akala and Adeseun are from Ogbomoso. Aspirants from Ibadan, numbering about seven, have vowed that they would not allow an Ogbomoso man to rule for now since Alao-Akala left office just four years ago.
They argued that Ibadan indigenes have been marginalised for too long in occupying the exalted office.
“He wants to go for the third term. He ruled after Rashid Ladoja was impeached and he also ruled from 2007 to 2011. Now he wants to come again, that is unacceptable,” a source from Ibadan moaned.
Enugu
The story is not different. The aspirants are Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, Senator Ayogu Eze, Chinedu Onuh, Anayo Onwuegbu, state House of Assembly Speaker, Eugene Odo, Sam Onyishi, and Onyekwe Onyekwe.
Governor Sullivan Chime favours Ugwuanyi. All the contestants but one come from Enugu North, where the PDP zones the governorship.
Only Anayo Onwuegbu is from Enugu West and he has insisted that he will not step down for anybody regardless of zoning.
Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu (who has been battling Chime over the control of the state PDP), at first did not support Ugwuanyi but later agreed to a trade off.
In the deal, Chime will produce the governor and forfeit his senatorial ambition, Ekweremadu will return to the Senate.
Chris Ogbu, a public affairs analyst and rights activist told TheNiche that despite rancour, Enugu remains a PDP state and from all indications it will defeat any other party in a free and fair contest.
Imo
The contest is expected to be fierce given the heavyweights involved.
Among the prominent contenders are Senators Ifeanyi Araraume and Chris Anyanwu; House of Representatives Deputy Speaker, Emeka Ihedioha; former Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister, Chuka Odom; former Governor Ikedi Ohakim; and former University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital (UNTH), Enugu Governing Council Chairman, Charles Amanze.
The primary is too close to call as all the aspirants have the connection and war chest to give one another a run for their money.
Rivers
Nineteen aspirants are threatening to hit back at the re-election bid of Jonathan if he imposes Nyesom Wike as governorship candidate.
The aspirants, under the aegis of Rivers Mainstream Coalition (RMC), said the chances of the party in 2015 depend on how the leadership handles the crisis in Rivers.
They alleged that PDP National Deputy Chairman, Uche Secondus, “has stubbornly and consistently shown open alignment with the ambition of Nyesom Wike and cannot therefore be trusted to proffer unbiased solutions on Rivers State crisis.
“There is ample evidence that the imposition of Wike to succeed Governor Rotimi Amaechi shall cause deep geo-political imbalance, trigger negative reactions from other ethnic groups and threaten the peace, stability and unity of Rivers State, including the electoral fortunes of the PDP.”
Akwa Ibom
Governor Godswill Akpabio is trying to install his protege and former Secretary to the State Government, Emmanuel Udom, creating tension in the PDP fold.
Akpabio’s insistence has led to the defection of Umana Okon Umana to the APC. Umana has obtained the governorship form and may cause an upset at the ballot box proper.
Cross River
Governor Liyel Imoke is having a tough time installing his candidate, Ben Ayade, Senate Environment and Ecology Committee Vice Chairman.
There are over 22 aspirants from Cross River North, where the PDP zones the governorship.
Former Governor Donald Duke and Senate Leader, Victor Ndoma-Egba, have ganged up against Imoke to oppose Ayade.
Both men are said to be rooting for Godwin Jedy-Agba as Imoke’s successor.
Assurance from PDP
But PDP National Publicity Secretary, Olisa Metuh, dismissed any fear or tension, stressing that the party has put every mechanism on the ground.
He gave an assurance that everything is going well, even in the North, despite the flash points of insurgency.
 nationwide as the governorship primaries hold tomorrow, Monday December 8, with incumbents and those in the corridors of power in Abuja keen to install their own men.){kind=link}