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Tag: Iwuanyanwu

  • Igbo president to wait, says Iwuanyanwu

    Igbo president to wait, says Iwuanyanwu

    Against the backdrop of renewed agitation for a president of Igbo extraction in 2015, a frontline politician from the Southeast geo-political zone, Chief Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu, has urged Nigerians to give President Goodluck Jonathan a second term.

    Iwuanayanwu, a chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), said it is necessary to allow the president to complete eight years as agreed in the PDP’s zoning plan.

    Iwuanyanwu spoke yesterday when the Hausa community in the Southeast zone led by Alhaji Adamu Sokoto visited him in Owerri, the Imo State capital.

    The Champion publisher described Jonathan as the President from the Eastern Nigeria who should be allowed to rule for eight years.

    He said: “This is the first time someone from Eastern Nigeria is President, let him complete eight years and after that, power can shift to wherever and if 2015 is not properly handled, it will be tragic for the country”.

    He hinted that the country has so well integrated to the extent that it will be difficult to brea kup. “It is in the interest of every tribe that Nigeria remains the same because if we break up, there will be severe injuries.

    “Just as people from the Southeast of the country have made remarkable contributions to the development of the country, the Hausa have contributed immeasurably to trade and commerce in the Southeast. Besides, the people have intermarried and it will not be possible to break the country along ethnic lines”, he said.

    He added that the Boko Haram insurgency has nothing to do with Hausa or Fulani but should be seen as Nigeria’s common enemy which must be condemned by all Nigerians.

    On the crisis rocking the ruling party, the one-time presidential aspirant said it is not unusual. “It is common with big parties which will make the party stronger, the crisis will soon be over and those who have left will all come back.

    “I have confidence in the PDP; I have faith in the country,” he said, adding “if not that we have strong leadership in Jonathan, what happened would have broken Nigeria.”

    The Hausa community pledged their continued support for the PDP and the Federal Government, adding that they will continue to work for the success of the party, irrespective of any part of the country they may be.

  • PDP BOT Chair: Ahmadu Ali, Iwuanyanwu, others refuse to step down for Anenih

    PDP BOT Chair: Ahmadu Ali, Iwuanyanwu, others refuse to step down for Anenih

    The leadership of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is facing a serious challenge from members of the party’s Board of Trustees (BoT) over the planned use of consensus in filling the vacant position of the board chairman.

    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