Stakeholders in the Southeast, including Ohanaeze, are understood to have launched a counter move against the consensus option being canvassed by four Peoples Democratic Party presidential aspirants.
Teaming up with Ohanaeze are traditional rulers, PDP presidential aspirants and some other eminent personalities from the zone, with one of the presidential hopefuls coordinating the counter move.
Part of their strategy is to prune down the number of presidential aspirants from the zone to improve the chances of those that are left in the race from area.
Sources said the decision to counter the consensus move was mooted last month by the pan-Igbo cultural organisation.
A participant in one of the meetings of the stakeholders said they are fully aware of the threat posed to the chances of the Southeast aspirants by the consensus arrangement.
The Nation learnt that the stakeholders also resolved to constitute a pressure group to intensify agitation against the recent decision of the PDP on the zoning formula, which they perceived to be skewed against Ndigbo and their interests.
Our sources claimed some PDP presidential hopefuls from the zone have shown interest in the move, agreeing to subject themselves to the screening of a committee to be instituted soon by the stakeholders.
Named as PDP presidential aspirants willing to be part of the arrangement are former Anambra State governor, Peter Obi; former President of the Senate, Anyim Pius Anyim; businessmen Mazi Sam Ohuabunwa and Nwachukwu Anakwenze.
The Nation gathered that some leaders of the group will be meeting the governors of Enugu and Abia states during the week to discuss the arrangement.
The meetings will take place immediately after the Easter holiday.
A source said: “We had discussions with one of the governors in Abuja last week. But the planned meeting is important because there are so many things to clarify.
“We are hearing that one or both governors have interest in the presidential ticket of the party.
“We have also heard that they may be working for some other aspirants.
“We need to know the truth. That is the reason for the meetings.”
On the plan to throw the presidential primaries in PDP open, the source said: “The last has not been heard on the zoning matter in PDP. We have resolved to kick against it vehemently henceforth.
“Zoning is part and parcel of the constitution of our party, the PDP. It has been practised ever since the return to democracy in 1999. For the party to be planning to jettison the arrangement now is unacceptable.
“We have resolved as stakeholders in the zone to insist on justice and fairness, and that is what we are going to do going forward.”
