No fewer than 11 candidates from the North East zone are in the race for the national chairmanship of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
This follows the release of the guideline for congresses and national convention of the party.
This is just as 324 positions, comprising of 177 and 147, that have been allotted to the congresses and conventions, with 17 officials to be produced from the ward levels.
National Executive Committee (NEC) of the party had penultimate Thursday, approved the guidelines and timetable for the congresses and national convention which will commence from January 7, 2012, at the ward level and will culminate at the national convention in Abuja on February 25, 2012, where the emergence of new officers are expected.
Leading contenders for the top job in the party include Ambassador Hassan Adamu; Chairman of the African Business Roundtable, Bamanga Tukur and two former governors, Adamu Muazu of Bauchi State and Danjuma Goje of Gombe State.
Goje was elected into the Senate last April at the expiration of his second tenure, but is said to be interested in the seat.
Also on the top list are two incumbent members of the National Working Committee, NWC, Prof. Ahmed Rufai Alkali (National Publicity Secretary) and the Acting National Secretary, Dr. Musa Babayo. They are both from the North West to which the party had zoned the office of the national chairman.
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