REVEALED: LIST of Candidates to Succeed Tukur

Six candidates are the favourites in the battle for the position of Alhaji Bamanga Tukur, who resigned his post as the National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on January 16, 2014, Thursday.

The President’s men are finalising the list will pick the most ‘politically’ eligible of them all:

1. Idris Umar (Gombe), the Minister of Transport, Senator;

2. Adamu Muazu (Bauchi), a former Governor;

3. Mohammed Wakil (Borno), a former member of the House of Representatives,

4. Alhaji Gambo Lawan (Borno), a former National Chairman of the Grassroots Democratic Movement (GDM);

5. Amb. Hassan Adamu (Wakilin Adamawa), a former President of the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN)

6. Amb. Idris Waziri (Taraba), a former Minister of Commerce.

It has been gathered that three groups, have emerged on the search for Tukur’s successor. They are: the President’s Strategy Team (PST) being coordinated by Governor Henry Seriake Dickson; a group being led by the First Lady, Dame Patience Jonathan, and the Board of Trustee (BoT) leaders/ PDP Governors Forum headed by Akwa Ibom State Governor Godswill Akpabio.

The main criteria during selection of the new National Chairman are:

- being a committed democrat and team player;

- rich experience in politics and party administration;

- ability to reconcile aggrieved members of the party;

- readiness to reorder PDP for electoral victory in 2015 in at least 25 to 28 states;

- a good listener who will have respect for all organs of the party;

- must be a political asset and not a liability to PDP;

- a candidate who will ensure free and fair primaries.

The groups have not been able to reach a consensus on the choice of the National Chairman, a decision which PDP’s National Executive Committee (NEC) has deferred till January 20, 2014, Monday.

The First Lady and some NEC members are, however, working on Idris Umar because he is less controversial out of the six.

Some BoT members, it was learnt, are pushing for Gambo Lawan, Ambassador Hassan Adamu, and ex-Minister Idris Waziri who was present at the 80th birthday celebration of BoT Chairman Chief Tony Anenih for what a source of The Nation described as “essentially tactical.”

“By Sunday, we will know who will be the next National Chairman of the party. It is too early for me to tell you now because consultations and horse-trading are ongoing.

“We are looking at all the candidates that have been thrown up by the North-East. We will screen all of them thoroughly to avoid any slip this time around,” a member of the NWC, who played a key role in the ouster of Tukur, said.