Monday 20 January 2014
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Monday opened a new chapter in its history with the ratification, by the party's National Executive Committee (NEC), of former Bauchi State Governor, Alhaji Adamu Mu'azu, as its national chairman.
Mu’azu, who emerged the consensus candidate after a series of meeting between President Goodluck Jonathan, governors elected on the platform of the party and other party bigwigs, the last of which ended in the wee hours of Monday, succeeded Alhaji Bamanga Tukur who “stepped aside” last Thursday.
Shortly after he took the oath of office, Mu'azu promised to set about achieving reconciliation in the party that has been enmeshed in a debilitating crisis since last year.
At the NEC meeting that was presided over by the party's Deputy National Chairman, Mr. Uche Secondus, the president gave some insight into why the party settled for Mu’azu from about 10 contenders who were touted as being in the race.
Party chiefs, including governors, also took turns to admonish their chairman to avoid the banana peel that led to the sudden exit of some of his predecessors from office and to work for the reconciliation of aggrieved members.
Party chiefs, including governors, also took turns to admonish their chairman to avoid the banana peel that led to the sudden exit of some of his predecessors from office and to work for the reconciliation of aggrieved members.
President Goodluck told the party leaders that Mu’azu was chosen despite the legion of members who had indicated interest in becoming the national chairman of PDP because of his ability to build bridges.
According to him, “We needed someone who can build the party, who can reach out to the people and who is friendly with the people. Someone who can bring the party together, someone who can build bridges.
“I want to commend all those who showed interest and I can tell you that they were all eminently qualified. A lot of things have been said about the new national chairman. He is not known as someone with tribal or religious sentiments.
“Your religion should not affect your thinking. I knew you as a governor and I can say to some extent that I know you. We need somebody who can build the party and who would not resort to fighting every time.”
Jonathan attributed the infighting among party leaders in some states to the reasons why PDP lost some states during elections, adding: “We lost because the leaders failed to agree among themselves.”
The president, who tasked Mu’azu to reduce tension among PDP members, said it was not easy deciding on him as the party chair because many of the party’s governors did not want the next chairman to come from their states to reduce friction between them and the chairman, as had happened previously.
