Late efforts by the Ahmed Makargi led National Caretaker Committee (NCC) of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to achieve consensus among the aspirants for the Chairmanship of the party on Tuesday has failed
The party leaders also failed to convince the eight aspirants jostling for the chairmanship position of the PDP to keep to the agreement reached last year on the micro-zoning of the chairmanship position to the South-west.
The NCC members are said to be eorried ober yhe development which is causing disaffection as well as polsrising the party.
The Tuesday meeting was well attended as all the eight aspirants who had shown interest in the office were in attendance.
The aspirants in attendance are, Chief Bode George, Raymond Dokpesi, Gbenga Daniel, Uche Secondus, Rashidi Ladoja, Taoheed Adedoja, Jimi Agbaje, and Prof Tunde Adeniran.
Makarfi had told his audience that the meeting was called to clarify the silence of the NCC on the micro-zoning brouhaha as he disclosed that what was zoned and agreed on at the August 12, non-elective convention was the zoning of the Presidency to the north, and the Chairmanship to the South.
He noted that the NCC cannot force micro-zoning of the seats to any of the zones in the south adding however, that if the National Executive Committee (NEC) of the party decides on micro-zoning, then, it will be accepted.
He also warned the aspirants to ensure that their campaign does not bring disunity to the party.
Makarfi disclosed further that the NCC was interested in knowing the plans of the aspirants for the party, and for them to be assessed in terms of their contributions to the uplifting of the party since they joined the party individually and most importantly, when the party was in crisis.
Thereafter, the meeting went into a close door session.
Emerging from the meeting after about four hours of deliberation, the aspirants led by Chief Bode George said they agreed at the meeting that no foul language should be used on each other during the campaign, while the aspirants will all continue to canvass for vote, and test their individual popularity at the convention.
His words; “We had a very useful meeting with the NCC. We agreed that we will remain civil, educate our followers because it is a family contest. It is not a matter of life and death.
“We have agreed and you can see us now holding our hands. There is no quarrel, let the best man wins. That is the spirit of the party, that is the spirit we are sending to the public because we want to win the minds and hearts of the public that we are better managers.
“If we can manage our party and our states,we will be able to manage this country on our behalf.”