The ambition of media mogul, Chief Raymond Dokpesi, to lead the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) appears to have been truncated by leaders of the party from the Southwest, Southeast and Southsouth.
PDP governors, National Assembly members, ex-ministers and other leaders from the South at a crucial meeting in Port Harcourt on Thursday ahead of the August 17 national convention billed for the city, zoned the post to the Southwest.
Also out of the race is Uche Secondus, former acting national chairman, who is from Rivers State.
Dokpesi is from Edo State. Edo and Rivers are in Southsouth.
Although Deputy Senate President Ike Ekweremadu, who briefed reporters at the end of the meeting, said any member willing to contest any position was free to do so, he was quick to advise them to respect the zoning formula.
Also zoned to the Southwest are the positions of national treasurer and deputy national publicity secretary.
PDP zoned the positions of first deputy national chairman, national legal adviser, deputy national women leader and deputy national auditor to the Southsouth, while Southeast got national organising secretary, national youth leader and deputy national financial secretary.
The party’s stalwarts from the Southwest, who have signified their intention to contest the national chairmanship include former the Chairman of the Nigerian Port Authority, Chief Bode George and ex-minister Prof. Taoheed Adedoja.
