Date: 2001-11-10

Presented in no particular order of importance, beside the fact that we have broken down the list according to the politicians' states of origin - taking one zone after the other, the men who determine the direction the PDP ship sails come from within the presidency, National Assembly, the Wadata Plaza in Abuja to the farmost confines of the most far-flung villages. Waheed Odusile, Ufot Essien, Kola Ologbondiyan, Oma Djebah and Chris Nwachuku profile the men and women who move PDP.

John Dara: He is Special Assistant to the Defence Minister, TY Danjuma. In Kwara state, he also commands respect of party members who already see him as the successor to Governor Mohammed Lawal.

Mohammed Abdulahi: He is the Chief of Staff to President Olusegun Obasanjo. This quiet but no- nonsense son of Ilorin is believed to be building a political war house that will rein in the votes of the state for the PDP come 2003. He is also perceived as the unseen hand coordinating the challenge of Dr. Olusola Saraki in Kwara come 2003. This retired soldier is powerful in the Villa.

Alimi Abdulrazaq: Like his father, he has sought to rule Kwara state but was stopped by the might of Saraki in Kwara politics. He can easily qualify as storehouse of PDP in Kwara state. When it was an abberation to belong to the party in the state, he served as its engine room. Today, he commands immense respect from the rank and file of the party members.

Shaba Lafiaji: Third Republic governor of Kwara state and former disciple of Saraki's school of politics, he parted ways with the doyen of Kwara politics when it became manifest that Saraki was going to annoint Lawal for the governorship at his expense.

But in Kwara PDP, he is a leader and calls the shots. He hails from Kwara North and is expected to turn in the votes of the area to the party.

Culled from ThisDay