PDP In Frenzied Meeting Over Jonathan

The possibility of former President Goodluck Jonathan joining the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, to run for president in 2923 is clearly agitating the opposition Peoples Democratic Party.

The party has engaged in consultations on the best possible way to handle the issue.

Jonathan was Vice President and later president on the platform of the PDP after being deputy governor and governor in Bayelsa State.

He joined the last set of aspirants who obtained the presidential forms of the APC even though he rejected the forms said to have been purchased by two Northern groups.

The development is altering the plans of the PDP, which held closed-door meeting earlier today (Wednesday) instead of kicking off with its planed schedules of three meetings.

The first meeting was supposed to be the National Caucus meeting followed by Board of Trustee meeting then the National Executive Council meeting.

But on Wednesday, an incomplete caucus of the party held a two-hour long meeting without any communique and only resolved to shift the meeting.

Those who attended the morning meetings include former Senate Presidents, David Mark and Bukola Saraki, the Chairman of the BoT Sen. Walid Jibrin and the governors of Edo, Enugu, Adamawa, Taraba and the host governor, Samuel Ortom of Benue.

The unavailability of Rivers State governor, Nyesom Wike, and his counterparts from Enugu and Abia respectively, who are his strong backers for the presidential race, also set tongues wagging that the Jonathan development might be affecting the PDP.

THE WHISTLER gathered other members of the meetings had not arrived but that the main issue is how to handle the Jonathan development.

A source said the party will still maintain open zoning, which means all those who bought the presidential tickets are free to contest.

The party however will begin its meetings with the National Caucus at 4pm, BoT at 7pm while the NEC meeting is being planned for 8:00pm.

Reports by the Ortom-led Zoning Committee is expected to be released afterwards.