join those who decided to go so low.

THISDAY gathered that Anyanwu kicked against the move to zone the party’s national secretary to the South-west, arguing that it could effectively tilt the balance of power in the party’s secretariat in favour of the South-west and boost Makinde’s presidential ambition.

Makinde is locked in a supremacy battle with Wike.

Wike’s loyalists described the zoning of the offices as unfair and unacceptable.

The FCT minister’s camp had rejected any form of micro-zoning and called for an inclusive national convention where all would be allowed to contest in line with the zoning arrangements by Governor Diri’s zoning committee.

Competent sources told THISDAY that Makinde and the South-east stakeholders are lobbying to retain the office of the national secretary in their respective states.

The contest for the national secretary was what nearly marred the recent stakeholders’ meeting of the PDP in Lagos.

THISDAY gathered that the South-west is plotting that the deputy national chairman, Taofeek Arapaja, becomes the new national secretary, thus moving the deputy national chairman to the South-south. The three zonal chairmen of South-east, South-west, and South-south in their jointly signed sharing letter have agreed to this.

THISDAY was told that the South-south is also rooting for the office of the National Publicity Secretary, which is currently held by Ondo State.

The office of the National Auditor currently held by Anambra State is said to have been zoned to Abia State.

The position of Wike’s camp is that Odefa can’t negotiate for the zone to the extent of signing the letter, having been sacked by an Ebonyi State High Court.

The minister’s loyalists also noted that Odefa has not challenged his sack by the High Court. In the South-east, the Wike’s camp said that the recognised South-east chairman is Chidi Ebere Egwu, as directed by the Ebonyi State High Court. Meanwhile, the Cross River State chapter of PDP has broken ranks with the Wike-led faction of the party by unveiling its chairmanship candidate for the September 27 Congress.

The party’s caucus in Cross River Central senatorial district on Thursday unveiled Tim Ekawu as their candidate for the forthcoming state congress, insisting that they have no apologies for taking the stand.

With the latest development, the district has now joined the southern senatorial district, which had earlier on Wednesday also pledged its support for Ekawu, in defiance of the position of the state party caucus considered loyal to Wike.

Rising from their stakeholders’ meeting, the Central senatorial district caucus unanimously argued that Wike is now a member of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and is not in any position to dictate what happens in the PDP. In a communique signed by Anthony Edako, who is also the state secretary of the PDP, the caucus endorsed the party’s decision regarding the date and venue for the national convention.