... When will the PDP release the “white smoke”?
There are signs that the Rivers wing of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, might be very close to naming a successor who will succeed Governor Nyesom Wike.
Wike who is busy at the moment canvassing support for his aspiration to emerge as the next president will be completing his tenure next year.
But, as tradition allows in times of political transition, the struggle over who should be the flag bearer of the party, has been going on underground.
PDP flags continue to fly in Rivers State.
Rivers has remained a PDP state right from inception. It swung briefly in the direction of the APC after Rotimi Amaechi defected during his second tenure
Nyesom Wike and his compatriots however took power back from Amaechi and the APC in 2015.
One year to go to the transition of power from one administration to another, the APC appears to be in no position to confront the PDP.
Insiders who spoke to the Port Harcourt Telegraph say it has taken intense negotiations, great patience and mutual understanding on the part of PDP leaders who are intent on retaining power in the State to arrive at a decision.
Although details are sketchy at this time, party leaders are optimistic that the decision, when it is eventually unveiled, would please a great majority of Rivers people.
Governor Nyesom Wike… The moment of decision has come. Whom will the cap fit?
Already, offices from the Senate downwards have been zoned, and acceptable candidates, we have heard, are gradually emerging through a consensus arrangement.
Most party members at the grassroots are reportedly happy. Candidates are not springing up through imposition according to what we are learning.
They are emerging through broad based consultations among stakeholders who are saying Governor Wike has kept his promise.
That promise was to allow them to make decisions relating to who will represent them.
Across the State, there have been widespread debates over what the criteria for choosing the next governor should be.
Ambassador Desmond Akawor, Rivers PDP Chairman. What next now?
While some in the court of public opinion say there should be no zoning, others who hold strong views are insisting on power rotation.
Now, there may be no need for all that banter.
Information filtering in suggest that the people do not have to wait for too long to know who is coming on stage as the next governor in waiting on the platform of the PDP.
“The best interest of the Rivers people has been factored in”, a source told this publication.
“Trust Governor Wike and our leaders, the PDP will come out stronger and more united”, the source added.
For now, the identity of the governorship candidate of the PDP is however being kept a top secret.
It would take Governor Wike, leader of the PDP in the State, to reveal the identity of the one who would walk the pathway to Government House.
Last Sunday, there were speculations that the new face of Rivers politics would be announced at a top level meeting attended by stakeholders.
That meeting was however put off due to some circumstances which were not disclosed.
What will the Cardinals decide? Who will be Wike’s successor? Will the successor hail from the Upland or Riverine part of Rivers State?
The clock is ticking. Days have given way to hours. Soon hours will give way to minutes as the clock ticks and the final countdown begins.