Former Senate President Iyorchia Ayu has emerged the consensus chairmanship candidate of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP).
His choice came after a marathon meeting of the Northern Caucus of the PDP held at Bauchi State Governors’ Lodge, Asokoro, Abuja.
Meanwhile, the People’s Democratic Party in Zamfara State has today raised the alarm over plans to demolish its state headquarters by the Zamfara State Urban and Regional Planning Board.
The Publicity Secretary of the party in the state, Alhaji Farouk Ahmad Shattima, told newsmen that after governor Bello Mohammed Matawalle defected to the All-Progressives Congress (APC), the PDP’s headquarters was taken over and painted with the APC logo.
However, officials of Zamfara State Urban and Regional Planning Board could not be reached for comment at the time of filing this report.
In a related incident, Former Governor of Jigawa State, Alhaji Sule Lamido, has faulted the adoption by the Senate of a clause in the Electoral Amendment Bill mandating direct primaries for the nomination of candidates for elections by political parties.
Sule Lamido, who is a member of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), says the clause violates the Nigerian Constitution and advised his party to challenge it in court.
The Senate, on Tuesday, adopted the clause after reviewing its earlier position to concur with the House of Representatives on the nomination of candidates for elections.
In a statement yesterday, Sule Lamido said the Constitution allows political parties to regulate the conduct of their affairs and mandates the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to ensure they comply with the provisions of their constitutions. Sule Lamido said the National Assembly, which is controlled by the All-Progressives Congress (APC), has turned itself into the sole administrator of political parties.
