After major meetings, PDP opts for non-elective convention

The Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, has shelved its plan to hold its national convention to elect new leaders on August 16.

Instead, it will hold a non-elective special convention on August 12.

The decision was taken on Tuesday at the party’s 74th National Executive Council meeting held at the party’s national secretariat in Abuja.

The spokesperson of the party, Adedayo Adeyeye, disclosed to journalists at the end of the meeting that the National Convention can no longer hold on August 16 as previously scheduled, because of certain provisions the party needs to meet.

“Practically, it is going to be impossible to have our national convention before August 16 because we need to give statutory notice to INEC. Our own constitution has some important provisions that we need to meet, and there is no time to meet all those provisions. So practically, it is impossible to hold an elective national convention before August 16,” he said.

“Therefore, NEC took a decision today that in view of all the circumstances, NEC invoking the power conferred on it under section 31, 2 sub section A today decided to convene a non-elective national convention on August 12 in Abuja.”

Mr. Adeyeye said it was “one of the most important decisions” taken at the large gathering of leaders of the party.

Apart from the NEC meeting, the National Caucus of the party also met.

The National Caucus meeting presided by the chairman of the party’s caretaker committee, Ahmed Makarfi, was attended by the Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu; the party’s National Secretary, Ben Obi; Acting Chairman of the Board of Trustees, Aminu Wali; and some state governors led by Ayodele Fayose, the Ekiti State Governor who is the Chairman of the PDP Governors Forum.

Other governors at the meeting were Udom Emmanuel (Akwa Ibom), Darius Ishaku (Taraba) and Ibrahim Dankwambo (Gombe).

Also in attendance were two deputy governors John Gboribiogha (Bayelsa) and Ude Chukwu (Abia).

Others at the meeting include members of the National Caretaker Committee, National Vice Chairmen and State Chairmen, Senate Minority Leader Godswill Akpabio, House Minority Leader Leo Ogor, and some principal officers of the National Assembly.

In his remarks, Mr. Makarfi congratulated the leaders, members and supporters of the PDP on their steadfastness leading to the judgement by the Supreme Court on July 12 that confirmed him as the leader of the party.

He also thanked Nigerians for standing with the party during the period of its crisis, specially praising the PDP governors for remaining in the party throughout the leadership crisis.
According to Mr. Adeyeye, other decisions taken at the meeting include:

1.The reinstatement of all State Excos that were elected at the April 2016 Congresses and later reversed by Senator Ali Modu Sheriff after the February 17, 2017 Court of Appeal Judgement in Port Harcourt, Rivers State.

2. Directing Memo for the Amendment of certain Sections of the Party Constitution to the wards, local government, and state levels for contribution before the next NEC, and

3. Approval of the Constitution of a Standing Disciplinary and Reconciliation Committees to deal with all issues regarding Party discipline and to reconcile all aggrieved members of the Party before holding electoral National Convention.