PDP BOT Bows To Sheriff, To Hold Convention In Abuja

• lBoT directs Makarfi to convene NEC meeting

After two successive National Conventions aborted by the court, the Board of Trustees (BoT) of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has directed the party’s National Caretaker Committee to work towards holding the next convention in Abuja, the nation’s seat power.

The two aborted conventions were held in Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital. Also the BoT called for the constitution of a new convention planning committee so as “to ensure a credible, transparent, free and fair convention.”

These were part of the decisions reached at a fourhour meeting of the board held yesterday in Abuja. BoT Chairman, Senator Walid Jibrin, who read the seven-paragraph communiqué issued at the end of the meeting, further directed the Senator Ahmed Makarfi-led caretaker committee to immediately convene a National Executive Committee (NEC) of the party to approve proposals that would move the party forward. Makarfi inaugurated the PDP NEC on August 17 in Port Harcourt for the first time after the committee and other organs of the party were dissolved by the National Convention on May 21.

The BoT did not mention the leadership crisis in the party, which has led to its factionalisation, but said it “has resolved to pass a vote of solid confidence in the National Caretaker Committee, and hereby urges the committee to continue the good work of properly planning for the next national convention.” It promised to facilitate raising of adequate funds for the committee to run the affairs of the party.

It will be recalled that the factional chairman of the party, Senator Ali Modu Sheriff, gave as part of conditions for resolving the PDP leadership crisis, the shifting of the convention from Port Harcourt to Abuja.

Sheriff also insisted on the reconstitution of the convention planning committee, which will not be headed by Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State The BoT, however, “mandated its Reconciliation Committee to continue with all good efforts for reconciliation.” The committee has Professor Jerry Gana as its chairman. Among BoT members present at the meeting include Dr. Okwesilieze Nwodo, Prince Vincent Ogbulafor, Chief Olabode George, Prof. Tunde Adeniran, and Hajia Inna Ciroma, among others.