Whilst the election for the new set of executives for the ruling People’s Democratic Party (PDP) is ongoing, 77 year old Bamanga Tukur has emerged, the consensus candidate for the party’s chairman, after all the other ten candidates have stepped down for him.

The ten candidates withdrew their nominations, just as the election was about to commence, citing “advice by leaders” and “for peace of the party.

The emergence of Mr Tukur as the sole candidate for the party’s leadership position took a twist earlier in the week when he was defeated at the north-east zonal congress of the party in Bauchi state.

The party had zoned the chairman’s office to the north-east region with the 77-year old having the blessings of President Goodluck Jonathan and some senior members of the party.  But he was defeated at the zonal congress ahead of the national convention by the party’s acting National Secretary, Musa Babayo

Mr Tukur, had described his defeat at the North-east zonal congress as a ‘charade’ stating that, he believes the outcome of the event will not affect his aspiration to emerge as the next national chairman of the largest party in the country.

Former governor of Osun State, Olagunsoye Oyinlola also emerged the sole candidate for the party’s national secretary, a position held by Professor Ahmed Rufai Alkali, who was amongst the ten that stepped for Mr Tukur.

Reacting to the emergence of Mr Tukur as the consensus candidate, Prof Akali explained that there were “rigorous persuasion and consultations” to get other candidates to stand down. “Some of us made the sacrifice to avoid divisions in the party,” he said. “The party is supreme” he added.

Aside the office of the chairman, other offices that have recorded consensus candidates at the ongoing national congress are officials of the party’s National Working committee (NWC), which includes,  Onwe Onwe, deputy national secretary, Olisa Metuh, national publicity secretary and for Minister of Aviation Kema Chikwe, has emerged as the national woman leader.

Dr. Okechukwu Nnadozie will be deputy national Organising secretary, deputy national treasurer, Honorable Claudius Emekise, national legal adviser: Barrister Victor Pam and deputy national publicity secretary: Barrister Binta Machika.

Avoiding contentious acrimony

Ahead of the voting, some governors explained to Channels Television the essence of a consensus candidate where they why they have decided to return some candidates without voting.

According to the governor of Benue state, Gabriel Suswan, “what the PDP as a party seeks to promote is the unity of the party,” adding that the agreement on a consensus candidate “is to make sure that we avoid a contentious acrimony or contest. In every human endeavor or political setting, people should thrive “consensus rather than contest” he opined.

Also speaking, the leader of the Northern governors’ forum and governor of Niger state, Alhaji Aliyu Babaginda, stated that “once an individual is agreed upon; there will be no need for contest because our constitution (PDP’s constitution) allows for standing unopposed.

“There is no point fighting or arguing over anything. There is nothing wrong with a consensus candidate especially when it is generally agreed upon” stated the Abia state governor, Mr Theodora Orji

About 5,000 delegates are at the Eagles square, venue of the event to choose new executives for the national convention.