Former Bauchi State Governor, Adamu Mu'azu (1999 - 2007) has been chosen as the new National Chairman of the PDP.
He was reportedly unanimously adopted on Sunday night Jan. 18th at a meeting attended by president Jonathan, VP Namadi Sambo, Chairman of the party’s Board of Trustees, Chief Tony Anenih; Senate President David Mark and all the state Governors elected under the PDP, amongst others.
Mr. Mu’azu, who will now replace Bamanga Tukur, who was forced out of office Thursday, emerged ahead of Minister of Transport, Idris Umar, a former Minister of Commerce, Idris Waziri, former Acting National Secretary of the party, Musa Babayo, a former party spokesperson, Ahmed Rufai Alkali and a former minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Ibrahim Bunu, who were all widely reported to have jostled for the position.
A party source familiar with the maneuverings and negotiations that threw up Mr. Mu’azu said President Jonathan actually preferred Minister Umar for the position but was outfoxed by governors from the North-East geopolitical zone who all rooted for Mr. Mu’azu.
When Mr. Jonathan tried to insist on Mr. Umar, insiders say, the North-East governors reminded him of how they deferred to him two years ago when he insisted on Mr. Tukur for the position in spite of massive opposition from the zone.
Our sources said Bayelsa state governor, Seriake Dickson, Governor Godswill Akpabio of Akwa Ibom, and President of the Senate, Mr. Mark, joined the North-East governors in pushing that position.
They reportedly warned the president against foisting an unpopular candidate on party members to avoid a repeat of the Tukur situation where the party was perpetually in crisis throughout his reign.
Mr. Mu’azu, 55, was among candidates who contested for the PDP chairmanship position in March 2012.
In a zonal congress election conducted by the North-East PDP in Bauchi to choose a consensus candidate for the zone at the time, Mr. Mu’azu got only one vote to place last.
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