PDP National Convention: IBB, Obasanjo, Saraki, Secondus, Others Meet In Minna As Gov Wike, Ekweremadu Meet Dickson In Abuja

A head of the National Convention of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), leaders of the party yesterday held separate strategic meetings in Minna, the Niger State capital and Abuja, the nation’s capital.

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The Minna meeting, which coincided with the 80th birthday celebration of former military president, Gen Ibrahim Babangida, was attended by former President Olusegun Obasanjo, PDP national chairman, Prince Uche Secondus, former Senate president, Abubakar Bukola Saraki; Akwa Ibom State governor Emmanuel Udom; former governor of Anambra State, Peter Obi; Senator Philip Aduda; Senator Ben Obi; Senator Sani Musa, and some of the party’s National Working Committee (NWC) members.

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The Abuja meeting which was held at the residence of former governor of Bayelsa State, Senator Seriake Dickson, had in attendance former deputy Senate president, Dr Ike Ekweremadu and the governor of Rivers State, Nyesom Wike.

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Party leaders have been divided over where the presidential ticket of the party should be zoned to ahead of the 2023 election.

The meetings yesterday, a party source said, are part of lobbying and consultations among party leaders ahead of the national convention scheduled for October this year.

Shortly after Obasanjo arrived in Minna for the birthday celebration of Babangida, he led other dignitaries into the meeting which was held behind closed doors, even as journalists were barred from the meeting.

Obasanjo who arrived in the hilltop mansion of the former military president at about 9am went into the closed-door session with the celebrant in company of other dignitaries like former minister of Defence, Gen Aliyu Gusau (rtd) and General Aliyu Akilu (rtd).

According to LEADERSHIP, the meeting was beyond the 80th birthday celebration as the event afforded the personality to discuss the “trending issues in the country ahead of 2023”.

A source close to the meeting who did not want his name in print hinted: “It was not ordinary that they barred you guys (journalists) from entering the house. They know what they want to do, you media men are a distraction for them to freely discuss.

“As you can see, it was not only the media; even some close associates of IBB in Minna were not allowed inside. The birthday just afforded the big men an opportunity to talk”.

Meanwhile, the Abuja meeting which had Wike, Ekweremadu and Dickson in attendance was also held behind closed doors.

Interestingly, while Wike spearheaded the move to sack Secondus, Dickson had insisted on the national chairman completing his tenure as chairman.

On the other hand, the national youth leader, Sunday Udeh-Okoye, is a political protégé of Ekweremadu.