- The issue of multiple presidential aspirants in the PDP is fast becoming a cause for serious worry for top stakeholders of the opposition
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This was what prompted the national chairman of the party, Chief Uche Secondus, to hold a secret meeting with one of Nigeria’s former military head of states, General Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida (IBB)
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The closed door meeting, which, according to a source, lasted for about two hours, was held IBB’s residence in Minna Chief Uche Secondus, the national chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on Thursday, August 16, held a secret meeting with an ex-military head of states, General Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida, Leadership reports.
The meeting which took place at the IBB’s hill top house started at about 3:15 pm at the inner chamber of the house.
It was gathered that Secondus came with Alhaji Bello Abdulkadir, the former secretary of the Ciroma committee set up by Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF) to ensure the emergence of a northern consensus candidate from among General Ibrahim Babangida, General Aliyu Gusau, and Atiku Abubakar in 2011. The details of the meeting was not made known as newmen were not allowed in but it was hinted that the meeting was necessitated by the growing numbers of presidential aspirants in the PDP.
It was learnt that the party is worried that if the huge number of aspirants were allowed to contest it could cause serious problems that may mar the chances of the party in 2019 general polls. The source said: “ The chairman might have come to seek advice on how to ensure peaceful primaries or consensus formula that will bring out acceptable presidential candidate for the party.”
The source further said that the closed door talk between Secondus and Babangida lasted for about two hours. Meanwhile, NAIJ.com reported that Secondus said that the party was repositioning to take over power in the 2019 general elections for a better Nigeria.
Secondus said this during a grand rally, as part of activities to mark Governor Seriake Dickson’s six years in office in Yenagoa on Wednesday, February 14. He warned states’ chapters of the party not to bar any member who had left the party from returning to help the party reclaim power in 2019 at the national level.