North Central PDP Picks Former Senate President As Consensus Candidate For National Chairman Post

The North Central zone of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has agreed to the choice of Benue-born former Senate President, Iyorchia Ayu as their candidate for the position of national chairman of the party.

This was disclosed to newsmen by the Benue State Governor, Samuel Ortom after a stakeholders’ meeting held at the Benue State Governor’s Lodge, Asokoro, late on Tuesday.

The meeting was also attended by former Senate presidents David Mark, Bukola Saraki, and Iyorchia Ayu himself.

Others present at the meeting include former Kogi State Governor, Idris Ibrahim; PDP National Publicity Secretary, Kola Ologbondiyan; former Governor of Niger State, Babangida Aliyu; and former Kwara State Governor, Abdulfatah Ahmed, and many others.

After the meeting, Ortom disclosed that after several hours of meeting in which 5 prospective candidates were considered, they agreed on the choice of Ayu.

He said, “This is stakeholders’ meeting of central PDP in continuation of finding consensus candidates for the national chairmanship of a party.

“Looking for someone with the capacity with the commitment, love, and passion for our party. We met here for several hours.

“Among the five persons that were contesting, the leadership of our party from North Central unanimously agreed to sponsor former Senate President Iyorchia Ayu as national chairman of our party.

“There was no voting, we all agreed that he is the right person for this job at this time.”

Governor Ortom added that Ayu will be presented on Wednesday (today) to the northern caucus of the PDP in the continued effort to produce a consensus candidate.

“Tomorrow (today Wednesday) the northern stakeholders of our party, the PDP, are going to meet.

“So, he will be presented to the northern caucus of the party. I think that by the grace of God, they will also accept him.“

On the issue of other geo-political zones presenting their candidates as well, Ortom said there is no cause for concern as they will all “discuss and agree.“

It will be recalled that the PDP had zoned its national chairmanship position to the north ahead of the party’s national convention scheduled for October 30 and 31.