PDP set for convention next week

PDP NEC

PDP chiefs at a meeting

Nigeria’s Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) National Executive Committee (NEC) on Thursday in Abuja unanimously approved and ratified 31 August as the date for the party`s Special National Convention.

It commended the special congresses and Convention Planning Committee, headed by Prof. Jerry Gana, for the efforts so far put in place to prepare for the convention.

The NEC also suspended the party`s forthcoming South West zonal congress slated for 24 August.

These were some of the decisions reached at the party`s 62nd NEC meeting attended by President Goodluck Jonathan, some PDP governors and party stalwarts across the country.

L-R, Chief Tony Anenih, Dr. Remi Akintoye, Alhaji Bamanga Tukur, President Goodluck Jonathan
L-R, Chief Tony Anenih, Dr. Remi Akintoye, Alhaji Bamanga Tukur, President Goodluck Jonathan

According to a communique at the end of the meeting, the party`s NEC took the decision to suspend the South West congress to respect the order of the court.

The communique was signed by the party`s Acting National Publicity Secretary, Mr Tony Okeke.

“NEC acknowledged the service of a court injunction restraining the conduct of the South West Zonal Congress earlier scheduled for Saturday Aug. 24, 2013.

“In line with our avowed disposition to uphold the rule of law, NEC unanimously approved the postponement of the South West Zonal Congress,’’ the communique said.

It directed the party`s National Working Committee (NWC) to go through the court process and to set a new date for the congress when concluded.

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Chief Olagunsoye Oyinlola, the party`s former National Secretary, was contesting his removal from office in an Oshogbo High Court.

The court had declared that the office of Oyinlola was not vacant even though he was removed by an earlier court.

The nomination of Oyinlola’s replacement, however, is one of the main issues planned for the now suspended South-West congress.

The Southwest is not the only crisis zone in the party. Two factional chairmen are currently operating in Anambra.

The NEC meeting came up two months after the last one held on June 20.

The party’s constitution stipulates that NEC, which is its second highest body after its Board of Trustee (BoT), should meet every three months.

At the meeting, a minute silence was observed in honour of the Deputy speaker of the Jigawa House of Assembly and some party officials who died recently in motor accidents.

The officials were sent to conduct ward congresses in Anambra.

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