The former Senate President, Professor Iyorchia Ayu has emerged as the consensus candidate of the north-central zone for the post of the national chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). The decision was reached at a meeting of stakeholders from the zone in Abuja on Tuesday night.
Before now, speculation had been rife that another former Senate President, David Mark, was poised to be picked from the zone as the preferred candidate for the position.
But at the end of the meeting on Tuesday night, Governor Sam Ortom of Benue state told reporters that Ayu was chosen out of the five persons that indicated interest.
He said: “This is a stakeholders meeting of the north-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.
“Amongst the five persons that were contesting, the leadership of our party from north-central we unanimously agreed to sponsor former Senate President Dr Iyorchia Ayu, to be National Chairman of our party from the north-central.
“There was no voting, we all agreed that he is the right person for this job at this time.
“Tomorrow (Wednesday) the northern stakeholders of our 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.”
Despite the emergence of Ayu as the front runner for the post, Ortom stated that other geo-political zones are at liberty to present their candidate.
“We will discuss and agree,” he stated.
At the meeting were former Sen. David Mark, former Senate President Bukola Saraki; Sen. Ayu Iyorcha, former Kogi State Governor, Idris Ibrahim; the PDP National Publicity Secretary, Mr Kola Ologbondiyan; former Governor of Niger State, Babangida Aliyu; former Kwara State Governor, Abdulfatai Ahmed; among others.
The new chairman of the main opposition party will emerge at its national convention scheduled for the end of this month in Abuja.