*Ikpeazu confident party won’t drown in crisis
Chuks Okocha in Abuja and Emmanuel Ugwu-Nwogo in Umuahia
Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governors have resolved to settle for a national chairman that is not aligned with any of the group jostling for the control of the party structure, THISDAY has learnt.
By this stretch, the PDP governors have reached a deal on a consensus national chairman from the north central zone.
Also, pressure is being mounted on the party to hold its National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting with national ex-officio making an open demand for the proposed October24 date.
Meanwhile, a former governor of Abia State, Okezie Ikpeazu, has expressed confidence in the capacity of the party to overcome its current internal crisis and emerge stronger.
A party source, who hinted that a subtle campaigns for thereplacement of the embattled acting national chairman, Amb Iliya Damagum has commenced, said, “Between now and late Tuesday or Wednesday, the clearer picture will emerge.”
The source further explained that since there was no counter information on the NEC, it meant it will still hold.
Chairman of the PDP governors’ forum,  Bala Mohammed of  Bauchi State, said last week that stakeholders would meet to decide the date of the NEC slated for Thursday.
As of today, the top contenders for the office of the national chairman from the north central are the former governor of Benue State, Gabriel Suswam and the Director General of the PDP governors’ forum, Dr. Emmanuel Agbo, Conrad Utaan.
The conference, which consisted of ex-officio PDP NEC members from the six geo-political zones made the call in a statement.
Signatories to the statement included Dr. Yunana Ilya (North Central Zonne), Dr. Nicholas Msheliza (North East Zone),Chief ‘Madu Chinemerem (South East Zone), Chief Patrick Agbe (South South Zone), Chief Faboyede Clement (South West Zone), and Alhaji Ibrahim Alhaji (North West Zone).
The statement by the PDP Ex-officio members of NEC read: “We have viewed with utter dismay and concern the dangerous turn of events within the top echelon of our party in the recent times. These events have the tendency to shake the very foundation of our party.
“We recall the primary aim of the founding fathers of our great party was to pursue democratic tenets and good governance for teeming Nigerians, and that has not changed.
“As an integral part of NEC of our great party, and one of its last bastions with the grassroots, who believe in the resurgence of our party’s popularity, we have critically brainstormed and dispassionately resolved, as a matter of urgency to call on the leadership of the party to ensure that the NEC meeting scheduled for the 24th, October 2024 holds.
“This will afford members who are aggrieved the opportunity to be heard and their issues addressed.
“Our Party’s Constitution is explicit on the importance of NEC in its provision that it shall hold at least once every quarter, failing which two-thirds of members may exercise its power in summoning an emergency NEC meeting.
“It is regrettable that our party has not adhered to the provisions of its own constitution, which would have nipped in the bud many unresolved issues.“We profoundly commend the efforts and interventions of the PDP Governors Forum, ably led by His Excellency, Senator Bala Muhammed, CON, Governor of Bauchi State in its determination to resolve the party’s crisis and return it to the path of greatness.”
However, Ikpeazu, while speaking with journalists on the sideline of a symposium organised to mark his 60th birthday at City of Nain, Umuobiakwa, said the crisis rocking PDP was like furnace being used to refine gold, adding that the former ruling party would emerge from the crucible very strong and united to regain its lost glory.
Ikpeazu noted that the party was already used to internal squabbles and had always wriggled out, adding that in partisan politics crisis would always be there.
“Not until a party faces problems and overcomes it, you won’t be able to know whether such a party has sufficient resilience and bumper to survive it,” he said.