PDP presidential campaign council names Osuntokun, Chidoka, Melaye among eight spokespersons

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has appointed Senator Dino Melaye and former National Publicity Secretary of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Bolaji Abdullahi, as part of the heads of directorates for its Presidential Campaign Council.

The party made the disclosure on Friday in a statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Mr Kola Ologbondiyan.

In the statement, the council announced the names of operational directorates and spokespersons for its campaign ahead of the presidential election in 2019.

It named a former governor of Cross River State, Senator Liyel Imoke, as Deputy Director General in charge of Operations, while former presidential aspirant, Taminu Turaki, was named as Deputy Director General for Administration.

The directorates include Contact and Mobilisation which is headed by the party's National Organising Secretary, Colonel Austin Akobundu; as well as CSOs led by Senator Melaye and Communication and Strategy headed by Bolaji Abdullahi.

The Directorate of Women is headed by Mariya Waziri; Finance led by Abdullahi MaiBasira; Media and Publicity head by Ologbondiyan; Policy/Research led by Dr Garba Umar; and that of Intelligence headed by Ambassador Ahmed Magaji.

Other directorates and their heads are and Youth – Udeh Okoye; Field Operations/Logistics – Gbenga Oduwaiye; Support Groups – Dr Nathaniel Yadunma; Special Duties – Dr Baraka Sanni; Legal – Emmanuel Enoidem; CUPP & Inter-party – Senator Ben Obi; and Diaspora – Professor Isah Odidi.

The spokespersons for the campaign include Buba Galadima, Akin Osuntokun, Osita Chidoka, Senator Melaye, Nnenna Ukeje, Segun Sowunmi, Kazeem Afegbua, and Umar Sanni.

Meanwhile, The Punch is reporting that the eight names were arrived at after a heated argument among the members of the council, majority of whom were said to have what a source called “vested interests.”

According to the newspaper,  the Atiku Abubakar Presidential Campaign Organisation, which was in place before the ex-VP became the candidate of the party, had its preferred candidate for the position.

Also, the Director-General of the PDP Presidential Campaign Council, Senator Bukola Saraki, was also said to be insisting that some of his loyalists be given some juicy positions in the council.

At the maiden meeting of the council in Abuja on Friday, it was gathered that the council was unable to reach an amicable decision on the matter.