Some prominent chieftains of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, have called for the postponement of the party’s national convention slated for May 21, 2016 in Port Harcourt, Rivers State.
The group, comprising immediate past governor of Niger State, Dr. Mu’azu Babangida Aliyu and eight others, made the call under the aegis of PDP Concerned Group yesterday.
In a communiqué issued at the end of their meeting in Abuja, Aliyu, who is chairman of the group, said the current zoning formula for the position of the party’s national chairman as adopted by only 1/3 of the National Executive Committee, NEC, is “inconsistent with the original PDP principles”.
The meeting, which had in attendance immediate past minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Senator Bala Mohammed; Honourable Zainab Maina, John Odey, Hon Sulaiman Abubakar, Captain Hassan Mohammed (rtd), Saidu Ndako Idris, Dr. Bolere Ketebu and Honourable Kaulaha Aliyu, also said that the procedure and conduct of the congresses nationwide were flawed with resultant disaffection and disagreements.
According to the group, the postponement of the convention would enable the party to restrategise, organize and conduct a more cohesive and acceptable national convention to avert the situation whereby aggrieved members may be compelled to organize parallel congress and convention.
“The current zoning formula for the position of national chairman as adopted by only 1/3 (One-Third) of NEC is inconsistent with the original PDP principles. In consonance therefore, the group unanimously call for the postponement of the national convention and appeal to the leadership of the party to revisit these fundamental issues to enable the party to organize and conduct a more cohesive and acceptable national convention to avert the situation whereby aggrieved members may be compelled to organize parallel congress/convention”, the group said.
The group also observed a minute silence in memory of the late President Umar Musa Yar’Adua to mark the sixth year anniversary of his demise.
