AFTER his surprising loss on Wednesday to Dr. Musa Babayo at the north-east congress of the Peoples Democratic Party in Bauchi, former governor of the defunct state of Gongola, Alhaji Bamanga Tukur, emerged on Saturday as the National Chairman of the party following the withdrawal of all 10 of his fellow contestants for the influential post.

Saturday’s event took place at Abuja’s Eagle Square, where about 4, 500 delegates had gathered from across the country to choose national officials of Nigeria’s largest political party. The position won by Alhaji Tukur had been ceded to the north-east zone, comprising Adamawa, Yobe, Taraba, Borno, Bauchi and Gombe states.

Several delegates claimed to have been coerced into towing the line of the influential members of the party. In withdrawing from the contest for the national chair of the party, the candidates said they took the decision in the interest of party cohesion.

A former governor of Osun State, Chief Olagunsoye Oyinlola, also emerged the only candidate for the post of National Secretary of the party, also unopposed, after his fellow contestants withdrew from the contest.

Chief Olisa Metuh, former deputy national chairman, South-East was returned as national publicity secretary in like manner.

Other positions that had been determined as at the time of filing this report are: Umar Ibrahim, deputy national auditor; Garba Chida, national youth leader; Dennis Arokpe, deputy national youth leader; Abubakar Mustapha, national organising secretary; Kema Chikwe, National Women Leader and Sam Sam Jaja, deputy national chairman (South).

• Additional reports from News Agency of Nigeria.