Ahmed Makarfi, former Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Caretaker Committee, on Monday revealed why South West lost at the party’s National Convention.
PDP members had on Saturday elected Uche Secondus from the South South as their new National Chairman, a situation those from the South West frowned at.
Reacting to the loss of the South West, Makarfi said the region never had a true consensus candidate for the chairmanship position.
Featuring on Channels Television, the former Kaduna State governor said a, “damaging campaign,” engineered by an unnamed individual affected the South West negatively.
According to Makarfi,“For the south-west, it was at the convention venue that they resolved on a consensus candidate. And even then, another candidate came to the state box and met the leaders and said, look, they never resolved, that he was still in the race. So, it was a total confusion.
“Somebody signs on behalf of other candidates and say ‘we now have a consensus candidate and please support him’ and another going round and saying ‘no, we don’t have a consensus candidate’.
“The whole issue of the south-west was its inability to put itself in order in good time. And then allowing some characters that cannot stand up in terms of credibility to occupy the political and media landscape; all kinds of abuses.
“And we cautioned them that that negative campaign by one individual was damaging them as people and members of the PDP and they needed to call that person to order. Still, they never called him to order. And as far as I know, ninety-percent of PDP members that person comes to will run away.”