Amaechi-Jonthan's fracas: PDP governors to lose party leadership

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is planning to remove state governors as party leaders, and give such position to party chairmen in their respective states, a top party official said yesterday.
The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity said the new arrangement is being worked out by top leaders of the party. He said if the arrangement is concluded, the party would recognise only the President as the national leader.
The PDP constitution does not recognize the position of party leader, but by convention, the President is known as the national leader of the party, while the governors are accorded similar recognition in their respective states.

Daily Trust learnt that the idea to do away with the current arrangement was brought to the fore due to the current problem the President is having with the Rivers governor, Rotimi Amaechi, which coincides with a similar fracas the national chairman of the party, Alhaji Bamanga Tukur is having with his state governor, Murtala Nyako of Adamawa State. A reliable source in the PDP leadership told our correspondent that the party is ready to do away with the current arrangement to put in place a structure where the state party chairmen would take full control of the affairs of the party in the state while governors remain as important members of the party.
The PDP, according to the source would very soon come up with a pronouncement on that to caution state governors from using the appellation of party leaders to avoid duplication while stressing that the party can have only one leader which is the President of the country.
He said even though the parties at the state level are funded by the governors, the party is not comfortable with the way governors have taken over the entire structure of the party and dictate what happens in their respective states, a role which is reinforced by their recognition as leaders of the party in their states.
The source said currently, top leaders of the party at the national level deal directly with the party chairmen in their respective states on issues concerning the party and are ready to make the necessary changes to ensure that the position of party leader at the state level is watered down.
PDP national publicity secretary, Barrister Tony Caesar Okeke, when contacted said he is not aware of the development.
DAILY TRUST NIGERIA