Ahead the Special National Convention of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Senate President, David Mark, former National Chairman of the party, Chief Solomon Lar, chairman, Convention Planning Committee, Professor Jerry Gana, and five governors from the North Central geopolitical zone were yesterday absent at the meeting convened to drum support for candidates from the zone.

Indications that all was not well among the stalwarts of the party in the zone emerged when stakeholders including former governor of Kwara State, Bukola Saraki, and his successor, Abdulfatah Ahmed, governor of Niger State, Muazu Babangida Aliyu and senators from the North Central did not show up at the gathering, which sources said was aimed to fashion out political direction for the zone and by extension show support for President Goodluck Jonathan's re-election bid in 2015.

Daily Newswatch investigation revealed that the absence of some of the governors is linked to the lingering crisis within the Nigeria Governors' Forum (NGF) and the polarisation of the forum along Amaechi and Jang factions.

Even though it could not be easily ascertained why the Senate President, David Mark, could not attend the parley, impeccable sources said Governors Bababgida and Ahmed belong to the Amaechi camp and would therefore avoid such a gathering, as the governors neither sent a representation.

A source added that all the stakeholders at the yesterday meeting are President Goodluck Jonathan loyalists and had ambushed other stakeholders with a view to declare support for the president's ambition, this, the source said might have angered other chieftains of the party and might have led to the poor attendance by other leaders from the zone.

The yesterday meeting, however, has threw its weight behind candidates vying for elective positions in the National Working Committee (NWC) of the PDP at its forthcoming special convention, just as Senate President and five governors from the zone were absent at the meeting.

Rising from a crucial meeting in Abuja, and presided over by PDP North Central geopolitical zone Vice Chairman, Mohammed Ayitogo, the leaders of the zone re-affirmed three positions zoned to it by the national leadership of the party.

The meeting saw in attendance Benue State governor, Gabriel Suswam, Minister of Interior, Abba Moro, Minister of Information, Labaran Maku and Minister of State for Trade and Investment, Samuel Ortom.

It will be recalled that special national convention slated for August 31, followed the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) report which faulted the election of some members of the NWC which eventually led to resignation of some members at the party's 61st National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting.

Consequently, the North Central zonal executive committee of the party reviewed the three positions zoned to it and asked delegates to the August 31 convention to elect persons that had got the endorsement of their states.