Update: PDP Convention: Jonathan Muscles Governors, Atiku As Nwodo Steps Aside

Source: THEWILL. - thewillnigeria.com

SAN FRANCISCO, Jan 13, (THEWILL) – The might of the Presidency has been fully deployed to ensure that President Goodluck Jonathan defeats his closest rival and NPLF Consensus Candidate, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar at the Presidential primary of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) holding today in Abuja.


THEWILL can report that President Jonathan has put so much pressure on the 27 PDP State Governors to deliver their state delegates to him or suffer the consequences later.


Most of the governors in response to President Jonathan’s pressures have not allowed Atiku Abubakar access to delegates. This has seriously frustrated Atiku’s strategy as he had banked on making a last-minute pitch to the delegates state by state.


At the convention proper, most of the Governors are seating with their delegates to frustrate any last-minute pitch that may make them vote otherwise.


The President also controls the PDP party machinery and has effectively used it to his advantage. His strategy has so far been very effective.


THEWILL gathered from an influential PDP source who chose to remain anonymous that President Jonathan will defeat Atiku by a very wide margin at the primary.


The convention at the Eagle Square is running late. The convention was billed to have started at 10.am Nigerian time but was delayed till about 6.pm.


Meanwhile, PDP National Chairman, Dr Okwesilieze Nwodo has vacated an Enugu State High Court ruling that ordered him to stop parading himself as party Chairman, a source told THEWILL.


But Haliru Mohammed, Deputy National Chairman has taken over the convention as he read a letter from Nwodo delegating him to handle the convention.


In his speech read to the delegates at the convention, Nwodo assured party members of 'internal democracy.'


The three aspirants; President Goodluck Jonathan, Atiku Abubakar and Mrs. Sarah Jibril are all seated at the convention. The President arrived the venue at 5.30 pm, a few hours after Atiku and Jibril.


5, 000 thousand delegates are expected to vote at the primary.