The North Central stakeholder of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) have adopted former President of the Senate, Dr Iyorchia Ayu, as their consensus candidate for the party’s national chairman.

Benue Gov. Samuel Ortom disclosed this while speaking with newsmen after the stakeholders’ meeting on Tuesday night in Abuja.

Ortom said that the party leaders from the geo-political zone unanimously endorsed Ayu as the consensus out of five people from the region aspiring for the position.

`This is stakeholders meeting of North Central PDP in continuation of finding consensus candidates for the national chairmanship of our party.

“Looking for someone with the capacity, with the commitment, love and passion for our party, we met here for several hours.

“Among the five persons that were contesting, the leadership of our party from North Central unanimously agreed to sponsor former Senate President Ayu to be the national chairman of our party from the North Central.

“There was no voting, we all agreed that he is the right person for this job at this time.

“Tomorrow (Wednesday), the northern stakeholders of our party are going to meet. So, he will be presented to the northern caucus of the party. I think that by the grace of God they will also accept him,” Ortom said.

Asked if other regions in the North would also be presenting candidates, Ortom said that they were free to present their candidates, adding that, “we will discuss and agree.”

At the meeting were two former Senate Presidents, Sen. David Mark and Sen. Bukola Saraki; former Kogi Gov. Ibrahim Idris and the PDP National Publicity Secretary, Mr Kola Ologbondiyan.

Also at the meeting were former Governor of Niger, Dr Babangida Aliyu; former Kwara Gov. Abdulfatai Ahmed; PDP Board of Trustees Chairman, Sen. Walid Jubrin and Prof. Jerry Gana.

Others were House of Representatives member representing Kabba Bunu, Ijumu Federal Constituency, Tajudeen Yusuf; and his counterpart representing Ado/Ogbadigbo/Okpokwu Federal Constituency, Francis Agbo.

The party National Executive Committee (NEC) on Friday approved the recommendations of Gov. Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu-led National Convention Zoning Committee that the national chairman of the PDP be zoned to the North.

The NEC also approved that the positions currently in the South should be swapped with the North and vise versa.

The positions of national chairman and other positions are expected to be micro-zoned to geo-political zones.