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Tag: convention

  • A convention against all odds!

    A convention against all odds!

    This time last week, all minds were busy wondering about what the outcome of the national convention of the leading opposition, All Progressives Congress (APC), would be. Most people, especially from the ruling People’s Democratic Party (PDP) were seated in their strategy room waiting for the doomsday prophesy that APC would buckle under internal wrangling. This is expected in view of the fact that PDP would not ever contemplate that any political party, not even APC, could ever give it the kind of serious challenge that it presently faces.

    Consequently, the PDP would still attempt to do everything possible, including the planting of moles within the opposition’s topmost hierarchy, to ensure that the APC crumbles like a pack of cards before the dawn of the 2015 general elections. Moreover, it is not in doubt that the ruling party would be ashamed that the national convention that it failed to successfully conduct last year, which led to its decimation, was what APC has just achieved.

    Apart from the major challenge of  sponsored subversion from the PDP, APC equally and expectedly has to contend with the test of members that see the platform not necessarily as one for change, but one for the realisation of their inordinate ambitions and when not achieved, are ready to rock the boat. When juxtaposed with earlier raised PDP’s wish, some analysts have concluded that the task ahead of APC is Herculean. The two extrapolated positions are true but this column wants to believe that the promoters of APC, especially former governor of Lagos State, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, a shrewd politician, must have anticipated these at the formative days of the mega opposition party. The adequacy of the steps he had taken to checkmate such injurious malcontents is what may be in doubt in view of the high-wired politics that took place in Abuja during the party’s last convention.

    Again, some have argued that what happened in Abuja during the APC convention is normal for such a political gathering because politics is ordinarily the game of intrigues. But this column agrees with this position to a point that it is targeted at achieving the general wellbeing of whole and not a malicious personalised war. One doubts if any reasonable Nigerian can honestly profess to be contented with the performance and governing style of the ruling PDP. And the reason behind this is why majority of Nigerians could not affirmatively answer this question. In retrospect, this was what led to the birth of APC. The need for an effective alternative party to dislodge PDP from power, and APC has done effectively well at the regional level.

    In 15 years of supposed democratic governance, the PDP has been ruling by fraud and through this fraud, it acquires access to the tools needed to finish the job of killing off the constitution. APC is hopefully out to cure this mischief. PDP has foisted a nation where justice is denied; where poverty is enforced and where ignorance prevails among the people; a society where the privileged class is made to feel that society is an organised conspiracy to oppress, rob and degrade the hoi polloi. This column now knows why lives and property are not safe under the current administration. The truth is that PDP has failed and it is obvious that those who deny good governance and meaningful wellbeing cannot claim to be defenders of the suffering Nigerian people. The testimonies of good governance in the states controlled by APC are in sharp contrast to the wobbling misrule in most of the PDP states including the centre.

    Somebody saw the need to forge a united front and replicate the development of the APC states all over the federation. He toiled day and night meeting people from the other parts of the country. He could have remained in his southwest cocoon which yours sincerely would have preferred but he took the risk. He has hope and confidence in himself and ultimately, God against odds. But when the party has taken firm roots, most of those who silently mock him sees the hope that he saw long time ago and decided to have a piece of the action. They conspired against him at the convention in their scheme to have stronghold over the party.

    This column finds quite treacherous the moves of some APC governors that were installed by the man to usurp his power at the convention. At the nick of time, the national leader of APC’s trump card of visiting Governor Wammako revealed the wolf in APC’s sheep’s skin from Borno State. He comfortably sat down and was caught compiling his conspiratorial list of self-serving national officers. This mole from defunct ANPP is working for Jonathan’s PDP. The same man worked for Obasanjo, though he claimed to be a chieftain of ANPP.

    The man that I am talking about is the contemporary rescuer of the southwest that many love to use his name and resources to attain power and comfort but gleefully choose to betray easily without a whiff of conscience. He is Bola Tinubu who alongside Mohammadu Buhari, Abubakar Atiku, Wammako and others ensured a successful APC national convention. They realised that whatever misfortune befalls APC at this period could not be in the interest of democracy and Nigeria’s stability. Most people cannot continue to mouth PDP’s maladministration without working concertedly to provide an effective alternative which Chairman John Odigie-Oyegun, a matured man of integrity, had been elected at the convention to provide.

    Tinubu tickles more because he liberated the southwest from the yoke of PDP-concocted misfortunes and because Claude Thomas Bissell once said: He “Risks more than others think is safe. Care more than others think is wise. Dream more than others think is practical. Expect more than others think is possible.” Also on the conspiracy against him during the convention, he was able to prove the words of Orison Swett Marden right when he said: “Success is not measured by what you accomplish, but by the opposition you have encountered, and the courage with which you have maintained the struggle against overwhelming odds.” Ride on Asiwaju for weathering this national convention’s storm to a successful end. A caveat: Beware more of the enemy within and the several birds of strange bedfellows that are always flocking around you, pretending to be genuine loyalists! Their motive is clear enough for all to see now.

  • Nigeria’s ills diagnosed at convention

    This is an outing that every public office holder in the country should attend. It is one that everyone who is at a loss for the cause of the various catastrophes in the land should witness. The main solution to our various problems is here.”

    This was the submission of Ogbonnaya Okike after listening to various sermons that held guests spellbound at the kick-off of a three-day national conference of the Brotherhood of the Cross and Star (BCS), Christ Universal Spirited Children Fellowship (USCF).

    It held at the National Theatre, Iganmu, Lagos, with the theme: Unified universal theocracy on earth.

    From the soul-stirring renditions of members of the choirs who, like other members of the brotherhood, appeared angelic in all-white robes, to the priests, love was on the lips of everyone as the soul of human co-existence.

    To Pastor Sunny Ekanem, Lagos State leader’s representative and others who spoke at the gathering, unrepentant lovers of materialism are enemies of Christ.

    They said have no place in the kingdom of God, which the brotherhood represents.

    The mammoth crowd shook in awe-inspiring tumultuous ovation when the Chairman, BCS Executive Council, His Holiness Olumba Olumba Obu was ushered into the gathering by his pastors, led by the Chairman, Planning Committee of the convention, Anita Reginald Anyalor.

    After an outpouring of hearty songs by the various choirs and speeches that bordered on the need for love, righteousness and selflessness among humans, Obu blessed all and admonished the congregation never to depart from righteous ways.

    The brotherhood’s spokesman, Bishop Theophilus Idabre, debunked the seeming controversy surrounding the brotherhood.

    He said: “Brotherhood of the Cross is neither a cult nor a society; it is the kingdom of God on earth. It was established according to the prophesies of our Lord Jesus Christ.’’

  • Can PDP avoid rancorous convention?

    Can PDP avoid rancorous convention?

    The special national convention of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)  will take place next month in Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory (FCT). Assistant Editor LEKE SALAUDEEN writes on the controversy surrounding the convention.

    Will the special national convention of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) achieve the desired objective? Will the convention committee abide by the guidelines? Is it possible to resolve the internal crises before the convention? To observers, these questions must be addressed, if the PDP is plans to conduct a credible convention.

    Analysts contend that the proposed convention is a formality because virtually all the members of the National Working Committee (NWC) who resigned their positions last month are likely to return.

    This is evident by the statement of the Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu, who is the the convention committee Secretary. He said that the zones and the states where the previous members that resigned came from will fill the slots.

    “We are going to keep all the positions within the zones. If there is any strong reason for us to change a particular candidate, that will happen. But for now, we are going to keep all the positions in the zones that keep them presently. We are not changing the zoning formula we are reopening nominations. This is a new convention. They will pay; it is not the old convention.”

    The implication of Ekweremadu’s explanation is that the office of the National Publicity Secretary is retained in Anambra State while Imo state will produce the National Woman Leader. The office of the National Legal Adviser is retained in Plateau state; the National Treasurer will come from Kebbi State, Rivers state will still produce Deputy National Chairman. The National Organising Secretary is retained in Kaduna state while Ebonyi state will still produce the Deputy National Secretary.

     

    Why special convention?

     

    The election of some national officers, which was held in March last year was faulted by the INEC a year after. INEC clearly stated that the mode of election of some of the members of the National Working Committee (NWC) was not acceptable. INEC in its report signed by Col M. K. Hammanga (rtd), the team leader to the PDP national convention held on March 24, 2012, at Eagle Square, Abuja, said the mode of election facilty.

    “The mode of election of election adopted for single candidates was not in accordance with the mode of election stipulated in paragraph 6.5 (i) of the guidelines for the conduct of the 2012 congresses and national convention and therefore not acceptable to the Commission”, the report stated.

    Consequently, the elections of the following officers were voided: The Deputy National Chaairman, Dr Sam Sam Jaja; National Organising Secretary, Abubakar Mustapha; National Youth Leader, Alhaji Garba Chiza; Deputy National Youth Leader, Dennis Alonge Niyi; National Auditor, Senator Umar Ibrahim; Deputy National Woman Leader, Hanatu Ulam; National Woman Leader. Kema Chikwe; Deputy National Organising Secretary, Okechukwu Nnadozie; Deputy National Treasurer Claudius Inengas; National Legal Adviser , Victor Kwom; National Publicity Secretary, Olisa Methu and the Deputy National Publicity Secretary, Binta Goje.

    INEC that their elections improper despite the fact that these single candidates were duly nominated and their candidature ratified by a majority voice vote at the convention.

    The commission also noted that the open secret ballot system was adopted for the election into the offices of the national Chairman , Auditor, Financial Secretary, Treasurer and Deputy Treasurer, in accordance with paragraph 6.5 (I) of the guidelines. It stated that all other positions had single candidates and were affirmed by motions, except for the position of the National Chairman, which was put to vote by open secret ballot, despite the fact that only one candidate was in contention.

    INEC also pointed out that the elections to the PDP congresseswere not properly conducted in some states. A letter signed by the INEC Secretary Abdullahi Kaugama, listed the affected states to include Sokoto, Adamawa, Taraba, Plateau, Nasarawa, Jigawa, Lagos, Anambra and Katisna.

     

    Special convention guidelines

     

    To avoid INEC sledge hammer, the Chairman of the Special Convention Planning Committee, Prof. Jerry Gana, said the election is open to all the qualified members of the party.

    According to the new convention guidelines released by the committee, all the delegates that took part in the March 24, 2012 national convention are expected to attend the special convention. The process shall be by secret ballot where the candidate is unopposed by voice vote. In the event of tie, a run- off election shall be immediately conducted between the candidates with the highest equal number of votes.

    The guidelines further stated that: “Election of zonal officers shall recognise the principles of zoning and spread of the party and public offices. Each candidate seeking election must be nominated by 20 registered members from the two-thirds of the states in the zone. Election shall be by simple majority to produce the officers of the zone.

    “Election of national officers shall recognise the principle of zoning and be conducted on the basis of existing zoning formula as amended by the National Executive Committee of the party. Each candidate shall be nominated by at least 20 registered members, five of whom must come from the aspirant’s zone.”

    The guideline further emphasised that all the members seeking elections into the various offices must be registered members for, at least, two years.

     

    Tukur/Gana feud

     

    From all indications the party is going for the convention as a divided fold. The acrimony that majority of the stakeholders may carry to the convention, portends danger. The special convention was heading for the rock last week when the National Working Committee announced the suspension of the convention. Tukur and other members of the NWC directed the Convention Committee headed by Prof. Jerry Gana to suspend all the actions on the convention, which was earlier fixed for August 31.

    However, the suspension order did not go down well with the committee as its members including the Secretary, Senator Ekweremadu, were said to have reported the matter to President Goodluck Jonathan . The complaint made the President to invite Tukur for a meeting where issues bordering on the convention were discussed. The President’s intervention has led to peace in the battle of wits between the Tukur-led NWC and the Convention committee. Already, the President has directed that the convention date as announced by the convention committee be retained.

    A presidential source, who was at the meeting, said the deal the President had with both Tukur and Gana was that the Special National Convention will still hold on August 31 and the Southwest congress will also take place on August 24. To appease the angry NWC members, the President, according to the source, directed that the Gana committee should allow the members of the NWC to chair some of the sub-committees in the convention committee.

    The source said the NWC members were not happy that the headship of the sub-committees, including the Publicity, which was supposed be reserved for the National Publicity Secretary, was given to another person by the Gana committee. The NWC also complained that the National Organising Secretary was not even mentioned as the chairman of any committee, while the Woman Leader, who is the traditional person in charge of welfare was merely made a member of the welfare committee.

    Whether the peace brokered between Tukur and Gana by the Presidency will endure or not, time will tell.

     

    Crises tearing PDP apart

     

    There is no geo-political zone in the country where the PDP is crisis-free. The Nigerian Governors Forum (NGF) crisis that has polarised the governors into pro-Amaechi and Jang supporters, an attempt by the presidency to destabilise Northern Governors Forum and the lingering Rivers crisis that has pitched Governor Rotimi Amaechi against President Jonathan and his wife.

    The party is bitterly factionalised in the Southwest. In ogun state, PDP is divided alongside many factions. There is a faction loyal to former President Olusegun Obasanjo. The Buruji Kashamu group is in control of party machinery in the state. The recommendation of the reconciliation committee set up by the national secretariat of the party that the state executive be shared between the two groups was rejected by the Kashamu group. The Obasajo group has lost out completely in the struggle for the soul of the party. The battle of supremacy consumed Chief Bode Mustapha as the National Auditor of the party. He was replaced by Adeyanju Olawale from Kashamu group.

    The Southwest zone held a special congress recently in Ibadan to nominate a replacement for Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola, the erstwhile national secretary, whose appointment was nullified by the court on the ground that the congress that produced him was illegal. According to a release issued after the meeting, the delegates unanimously approved the nomination of Professor Wale Oladipo as the Acting National Secretary. The position was zoned to Osun state and Oladipo hails from Osun.

    Forty eight hours after the announcement, a group, the Osun PDP Concerned forum kicked against Oladipo’s nomination. In an advertorial signed by the representatives from the 30 local governments in the state, the forum stated that the said selection and the mode of the selection did not conform with the constitution of the PDP and does not enjoy the support and goodwill of the majority. Rather than deepen peace and unity the announcement has stirred disunity disenchantment and mutual suspicion, the statement added.

    But the Chairman of Ogun State chapter, Chief Bayo Dayo, who attended the zonal congress, told The Nation that the selection of Prof. Oladipo was open and transparent. According to him, there were two candidates. The other candidate stepped down for Oladipo to emerge as the unanimous candidate.

     

    Stalled reconciliation

     

    Ekiti State PDP was embroiled in a fresh crisis last week, following the suspension of the party chairman, Chief Makanjuola Ogundipe, by a faction loyal to former Governor Ayo Fayose. There was commotion at the party secretariat in Ado-Ekiti when some aggrieved members met and announced the suspension of the chairman. Ogundipe was accused of misappropriation of funds, corruption, and failure to carry along members of the Central Working Committee. He was also accused of constituting unilaterally the screening committee to pick the governorship candidate for the next year governorship election. The Ogundipe group has also suspended Fayose and some officers. Already, the party is balkanised into splinter groups loyal to various chieftains, including the former governor, Mr Segun Oni, Fayose, and the Minister of Police Affairs, Navy Captain Caleb Olubolade (rtd). All efforts to reconcile the factions by the national leadership have failed.

    A chieftain of the party, Prince Dayo Adeyeye, admitted that there was crisis in the chapter which according to him, is not peculiar to PDP. He told our correspondent that, in a big party like PDP, the likelihood of disagreement on issues is possible. Adeyeye said Ogundipe, is still the chairman. An individual cannot on his volition suspend the chairman. There is a procedure to follow, he added.

    Lagos is also not insulated from the crisis as some chieftains of the party have approached the Federal High Court seeking an order to disqualify the former chairman of the party in the Southwest, Chief Bode George, as a member of the Board of Trustees. The plaintiffs, Alhaji Badmus Agboola and Dauda Atomoh, contend that George, having been convicted in 2009, is not qualified to hold office. The suit was filed on the heels of purported reconciliation between George and Senator Adeseye Ogunlewe, a PDP chieftain and a challenger to George’s leadership.

    Ondo State chapter is also not at peace with itself. The elders of the party are not in good terms with the governorship, candidate in last governorship election, Chief Olusola Oke, who is also the former National Legal Adviser of the party. The elders were alleged to have shifted allegiance to the Labour party, thereby ensuring Governor Olusegun Mimiko’s re-election.

  • Tukur: Convention to deepen democracy

    Tukur: Convention to deepen democracy

    •Anenih: Crises in PDP exaggerated

    Alhaji Bamanga Tukur, the embattled factional national chairman of the PDP, said yesterday that the party’s convention would deepen democracy within its ranks and the country generally. Speaking at the party’s convention which was marred by a walk out and a formation of a rival faction, he said the PDP had triumphed over opposition parties in the past and would continue to do so in future.

    But in what appeared to be a belated appeal, he asked party members to eschew bitterness and divisions, stressing that the party needed the correct mindset to achieve genuine reconciliation.Also speaking, chairman of the party’s Board of Trustees (BoT), Chief Tony Anenih, dismissed as often exaggerated, reports about crises in the PDP.

    He said: “As you all probably know, a lot has been written about conflicts and crises in our party, almost on a continuous basis. Let me assure you that a great deal of what is published is exaggerated.”

    While it cannot be denied that there are differences and disagreements, now and again, our party has a very effective arrangement for conflict resolution.

    I want to take this opportunity to assure you that the PDP is one great family and appeal to all those who have one reason or the other to be aggrieved to take advantage of the abundant opportunities for conflict resolution in the party.”

    His focus, according to him, has always been on reconciliation, party cohesion and discipline.He added that given the enormous size and spread of the party, there are bound to be challenges in its organisation.

    ”However, you will agree with me that recent challenges of problems of indiscipline are weighing heavily and affecting the smooth operations of the party in nearly all of its chapters.”According to Anenih, members should work to put their house in order so as to retain its dominant position in the political sphere.

  • Convention: PDP lacks integrity, says CNPP

    Convention: PDP lacks integrity, says CNPP

    •urges party to resolve Rivers crisis

    The Conference of Nigeria Political Parties (CNPP) yesterday accused the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) of foisting leaders without integrity on the nation.

    The CNPP said PDP must address the integrity issues before holding its convention.

    In a statement in Abuja by its Secretary General, Chief Willy Ezugwu, the CNPP said the double standard of the PDP is fast: “corrupting the political landscape and it is a key factor for the inability of public office holders to fulfill their electoral promises.”

    The statement stated: “The total lack of integrity exhibited by the PDP in asking some members of its National Executive Committee (NEC) to resign to open the way for their being properly elected only for the party to disown them falls short of what is expected of an organisation that produces some of the people who lead the nation.

    “While the natural tendency is to dismiss this development as an internal affair of the PDP, we must all not collectively lose sight of the fact that the PDP top shots will eventually treat Nigeria and Nigerians worse than they treat themselves.”

    It added: “With the number of seats and executive positions the PDP controls, it is inexplicable that the future of Nigeria is now tied to the conduct of the PDP so it is crucial that Nigerians do not shy away from asking the party to do the right thing.”

    The CNPP said PDP has the right to install whosoever it wishes but stated it “has no right to drag governance and by extension Nigerians into the show of shame and brazen attempt at power grab in Rivers state since it is now known that the change in the leadership of the PDP was meant to oust those perceived to have been nominated by the state governor, Rotimi Amaechi.”

    It urged other political parties to resist the temptation of following in the steps of the PDP, as this will not bode well for the nation and the fortunes of such parties at the polls.

  • RCCG holds 61st convention

    Millions of people across the world yesterday started trooping to the headquarters of The Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG), on the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway for the church’s 61st annual convention, which has begun.

    The week-long event presided over by the General Overseer, Pastor Enoch Adeboye, will end on August 9 with a vigil.

    Pastor-in-charge of Province 14, Lagos, Jide Akiode, in a statement urged Christians to attend the convention and celebrate Jesus.

    He said: “I urge Christians and non-Christians, irrespective of their positions in life, to attend this great event, which offers the opportunity to appreciate God for loving us and sending his son to die on the cross for our sins.

    “Choose to make Jesus the Lord of your life and he will sure make you the kind of person that you want to be.”

     

     

     

     

     

  • Court grants Oyinlola’s prayer to stop PDP convention

    Court grants Oyinlola’s prayer to stop PDP convention

    AN OSUN State High Court, sitting in Osogbo, has granted a motion expar te stopping the conduct of election to fill the vacant position of the National Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) at the forthcoming mini national convention.

    The court yesterday gave the order following a suit filed by the ousted National Secretary, Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola.

    Justice Oyejide Falola granted the three prayers in the motion after listening to the argument of counsel to the applicant, Realwan Okpanachi.

    Oyinlola had sued the Osun State PDP Chairman, Alhaji Ganiyu Olaoluwa and the party’s national leadership on the proposed National Working Committee’s plan to hold a mini national convention during which some of the vacant positions in the NWC, including that of national secretary will be filled.

    Also joined in the suit is the Chairman of the Mini National Convention Committee, Prof. Jerry Gana.

    Addressing the court, Okapanachi said his client, whose election was nullified by the declaratory judgment of Justice Abdul Kafarati of an Abuja High Court on January 13, this year, has a pending appeal before the Court of Appeal Abuja, due for hearing next month.

    He said despite having full knowledge of the pending appeal, PDP still went ahead to constitute committee to plan mini convention during which the position of national secretary will be filled.

    Okpanachi maintained that the motion was filed to protect the right of appeal of the applicant and protect the sanctity and threshold upon which judicial system is built.

    He noted that if the motion was not granted by the court and the defendants are allowed to conduct election to fill the post of national secretary during its planned mini convention, no issue will be left for the court to decide in September, when hearing of the appeal will begin.

    He prayed the court to consider and grant the motion before it owing to the urgent nature of the issue involved.

    The judge ruled that the 2nd and 3rd respondents, Prof. Gana and PDP national leadership be served copies of the motion outside the jurisdiction of the court, adding that, upon the receipt of the motion, the respondents should maintain status quo prior till July 26, the day the action was instituted before the court.

    He also ordered that, should the PDP hold its mini convention; election must not be conducted to fill vacant position of national secretary pending the determination of the motion on notice.

    He then adjourned the matter till August 19.

  • PDP convention: Tukur, Gana mend fences

    PDP convention: Tukur, Gana mend fences

    •Party gets 30-man reconciliation panel

    The crisis of confidence between the National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Alhaji Bamanga Tukur and chairman of the party’s Special Convention Committee, Prof Jerry Gana appeared to have been resolved.

    The Tukur-led National Working Committee (NWC) held a meeting with the Gana committee at the party’s secretariat yesterday where the two parties agreed to reschedule the convention earlier fixed for August 31 by the Gana committee. The meeting was held at the instance of President Goodluck Jonathan.

    The convention date had been changed on two occasions. New dates for the national convention and the Southwest congress are expected to be announced at an expanded meeting of the party’s leadership tomorrow

    Tukur had, in the heat of the disagreement last week, announced the suspension of the Gana committee’s programme, a development that necessitated Jonathan’s intervention .

    Speaking with reporters after the meeting, Tukur said the issues affecting the conduct of the forthcoming convention had been ironed out and disagreements over the matter resolved.

    Gana corroborated Tukur’s position, saying that the leaders had agreed to sink their differences and move ahead in the overall interest of the party.

    At the meeting were Deputy Senate President Ike Ekweremadu, who is the secretary of the Gana committee; Akwa Ibom State Governor Godswill Akpabio, who is the committee’s deputy chairman; and a former chairman of the PDP, Dr. Haliru Bello Mohammed.

    Meanwhile, the PDP has set up a 30-man committee to reconcile aggrieved interests within the party nationwide.

    A statement by the Acting National Publicity Secretary, Mr. Tony Okeke said the committee, which is chaired by Governor Seriake Dickson of Byelsa State will be inaugurated on Thursday.

     

  • Tukur to Rivers’ lawmakers: Sheathe your swords

    Tukur to Rivers’ lawmakers: Sheathe your swords

    A week after crisis broke out in the Rivers State House of Assembly, the National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Alhaji Bamanga Tukur, has urged the warring parties to sheath their swords.

    Making the call in a statement issued by his media aide, Mr. Oliver Okpala, the PDP chairman dismissed widespread reports that the leadership of the party fanned the crisis.

    Calling for sanity in the state legislature, Tukur said it’s the desire of the party that peace and sanity return to the state, adding that democracy cannot thrive in an atmosphere of violence and anarchy.

    He urged the lawmakers to avoid overheating the polity, saying that the PDP remained a united political family and that no true member of the family would like to pull down the family’s political structure and existence.

    The chairman further warned that a threat to peace in any part of the country is a threat to the peace and stability of the entire country.

    He appealed to well meaning Nigerians to join hands in ensuring that peace returns to the state.

    Tukur assured party members of openness and transparency in both the upcoming national convention and Southwest congress, the dates for which have become subjects of controversy.

    “The leadership of the party will take practical steps to ensure that the forthcoming convention and congresses of the party will be an epitome of transparent and credible elections, in line with the party’s avowed creed for internal democracy.

    “The leadership of the party will not have any hand in deciding who wins at the congresses or the special national convention, since it is going to be transparent, free, credible and fair.

    “Any candidate who wins must have done so on his or her own merit, performance and service to the party.

    “Those to be members of the new National Working Committee of the party to fill the vacant positions will emerge from due process and will be those the delegates will choose at the congresses and the special convention.

  • PDP’s convention plans crash as INEC rejects lists

    PDP’s convention plans crash as INEC rejects lists

    Agency declares delegates from Lagos, Anambra, Kano, others illegal

    PLANS by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to hold a mini-convention suffered a major setback yesterday.

    The National Working Committee (NWC) ordered the Jerry Gana Committee to put on hold the special convention slated for August 31. The Southwest congress slated for August 24 is also affected.

    A statement by the leadership of the party, after its NWC meeting yesterday, cited anomalies and breaches of the party’s constitution for the action.

    The statement, signed by the Acting National Publicity Secretary of the party, Mr. Tony Okeke said: “In view of the anomalies and breaches of the constitution of the PDP observed in the actions so far taken by the Special National Convention Planning Committee, the NWC has directed the Committee to put on hold all activities relating to the Special South West Zonal Congresses and the Special National Convention, pending the regularisation of the anomalies and breaches so as to forestall a repeat of the events that affected the party’s convention in 2012.

    “Consequently, the dates recently announced by the Planning Committee are in the circumstances untenable.

    “The NWC, with the view to resolving the protracted problems of the Anambra State chapter of the party, has resolved to invite major stakeholders in the state to an enlarged stakeholders’ meeting on the 18th of July, 2013 to commence consultations towards finding a lasting solution to the problems of the party in the state, which will lead the party to a successful governorship primary election in the state.

    “The NWC viewed with concern recent developments in Rivers State and also resolved to invite the National Vice Chairman, South South, to come and brief it to enable it take an informed decision that will lead to a prompt resolution of the crisis in the state”

    The party appears to be in dilemma over delegates in nine states voided by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

    The states are: Sokoto, Taraba, Plateau, Nasarawa, Jigawa, Lagos, Anambra, Katsina and Kano.

    The INEC had, in a March 5, 2012 letter signed by the secretary to the commission, Alhaji Abdullahi Kaigama, declared that the 2012 ward congresses conducted in the nine states were flawed and, therefore, failed to meet requirements stipulated in the INEC guidelines.

    In the said letter, which was addressed to the then Acting national chairman of the PDP, Alhaji Kawu Baraje, INEC observed that the conduct of the congresses was marred by violence, non-compliance with the PDP constitution and approved INEC guidelines.

    But at a news conference on Friday, the chairman of the PDP Special Convention Committee, Prof. Jerry Gana, said the same lists of delegates would be used at the August 31 convention.

    This has heightened anxiety among party stakeholders on the possibility of INEC rejecting the lists of delegates from the affected states – a development that could invalidate the outcome of the convention if challenged in court.

    The Gana committee is being hamstrung by the reality of the situation. An attempt by Gana and the secretary of the convention committee, Deputy Senate President Ike Ekweremadu to iron out the matter with the party leadership met a brick wall.

    Gana and Ekweremadu went to see National Chairman Bamanga Tukur at his residence last Thursday, but security men at the gate prevented them from entering the premises.

    The two party chiefs aborted the visit when they were told that the chairman had travelled to his country home in Adamawa State, but Tukur held a meeting with other members of the convention committee in his house a few hours later.

    Reacting to the development at Friday’s briefing, Gana said: “It’s true that the Deputy President of the Senate and I went to the chairman’s house to see him. But we will not take up issues on that because we respect our party chairman. We are not going to discuss our party issues on the pages of newspapers.”

    Apparently worried by the development, the convention committee is said to be considering fresh congresses in the nine states to address the lapses before the convention date.

    The NWC is said to have accused the Gana Committee of attempting to usurp its functions, an accusation that had since been dispelled by Gana.

    Another option open to the party is to bar delegates from the affected states from participating in the special convention. In that case, only statutory delegates from the affected states would be allowed allowed into the venue of the convention.

    This option raises another fear on meeting the required quorum needed for the convention to hold.