At the just-concluded national elective convention of the Peoples Democratic Party, (PDP), in Abuja, State governors demonstrated their might, as they literally handpicked members of the next National Working Committee, (NWC), and other national officers of the party.
Atiku, Saraki and Lamido, it was gathered, did everything possible to drum support for Olagunsoye Oyinlola, who vied for the office of the Deputy National Chairman (South), against Taofeek Arapaja.
Arapaja, a former deputy governor of Oyo State, rode on the support of the PDP governors to the convention, as entreaties made to Oyinlola to step down failed.
Arapaja polled a total of 2,004 votes to beat Oyinlola, who barely garnered 705 votes.
A member of the outgoing NWC told newsmen in confidence that with the feat, governors have announced themselves as the undisputed owners of the party.
Like in 2017, when the bid by former Women Affairs Minister, Maryam Inna Ciroma, to become the PDP Deputy National Chairman (North) failed, the former minister again failed to realise her ambition, as she lost to Ambassador Umar Iliya Damagum.
One striking feature of the voting pattern of delegates was that they all voted uniformly for the consensus candidates handpicked by either the governors or their associates.
Meanwhile, the National Chairman-elect of the PDP, Senator Iyorchia Ayu, has taunted the ruling All Progressives Congress, (APC), for what he called their inability to conduct successful State congresses let alone a national elective convention.
In his remarks shortly after he was pronounced elected chairman of the party by Adamawa State Governor, Ahmadu Fintiri, Ayu took the APC to the cleaners, blaming it for the sundry challenges facing the country.
