The Presidency is one with the party leadership on the issue.
However,the BoT members are pushing for voting to elect their chairman which some chieftains see as an unacceptable departure from the consensus tradition of the party.
Party sources told The Nation in Abuja that no less challenging is deciding which of the geo-political zones will provide the BoT Chairman in a manner that will not distort the zoning formula of the PDP in 2015.
About 20 top ranking members of the party are understood to have already obtained forms to occupy the seat which was vacated in June by ex-President Olusegun Obasanjo.
In the race are a former Chairman of the BOT, Chief Tony Anenih; a former National Chairman of the PDP, Senator Ahmadu Ali; a former Deputy National Chairman of the PDP, Chief Shuaib Oyedokun; ex-President of the Senate, Chief Ken Nnamani; and Chief Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu.
Also to contest are a former National Chairman of the All Nigeria Peoples Party(ANPP),Chief Don Etiebet, who is a returnee to the party; a former Chairman of the BOT of ANPP, Chief Harry Akande and 13 others.
Some who did not apply but are being pressurized to join the contest are Second Republic Vice-President Alex Ekwueme and a former acting National Chairman of PDP, Alhaji Kawu Baraje.
It was learnt that none of the applicants is willing to step down for another including Anenih whose BOT chairmanship was hijacked in 2007.
A highly-placed source said: “Members and some of the aspirants are pushing for outright election of the next BOT chairman of the PDP in line with Article 12.77 of the constitution of the party.
“They said the election will prove to the party leaders the level of acceptability of such a candidate to the leaders of PDP.
“The fear of the presidency and the leadership of the PDP is that election could create bad blood within the trustees and lead to crisis.
“The Presidency and party leadership believe that consensus, which had guided past choices of BOT chairman, could strengthen the unity of the party. The party thinks that it is ridiculous to ask leaders within the age bracket of between 70 and 80 years to face election.
“That is why the BOT has not been able to fix a date for the election. The party leadership is weighing consensus option. But where it fails, the aspirants may have to go for the ballot.
Another source said: “Ordinarily, some party leaders prefer Anenih to compensate him for the loss of the BOT office in 2007 but some aspirants do not want to step down for him.
“They also said that since Anenih has just been made the Chairman of the Nigerian Ports Authority, he should forget the NPA.
“Also, Article 12.77 ( c ) of the PDP Constitution says the BOT chairman and Secretary shall serve a single term of five years. Some of the aspirants are of the opinion that Anenih had served his term.”
According to findings, if the party succeeds in adopting consensus, it may look within and beyond the 20 aspirants.
The third source said: “This is why some party leaders are pushing for Ekwueme, Baraje and Oyedokun who are rated as highly-experienced in party and conflict management.
“But the main challenge is the zone which should produce the BOT chairman. While the South-East is strongly pushing for it, the North wants it in line with zoning tradition in BOT.”
Article 12.77 of the PDP reads in part: “The BOT shall elect a chairman and secretary from members of the Board. The chairman and secretary shall also be members of the National Executive Committee.
“Without prejudice to the provision of this Constitution, ensure that the person to be elected chairman and secretary respectively are of proven integrity and have contributed immensely to the growth of the party.”
THOSE IN THE RACE
Chief Tony Anenih
Senator Ahmadu Ali
Chief Harry Akande
Chief Ken Nnamani
Chief Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu
Chief Don Etiebet
Chief Shuaib Oyedokun
UNDER PRESSURE TO ENTER
Chief Alex Ekwueme
Alhaji Kawu Baraje
TheNation
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