New Telegraph

PDP crisis: Secondus stays

 

…as party holds convention October

  • Tambuwal: APC not a political party

 

National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Prince Uche Secondus has survived the plot to remove him before the end of his tenure.

 

But his tenure in office will be shortened by a month and some days. At a joint meeting of PDP stakeholders convened by the Board of Trustees (BoT) of the party, which was held on Tuesday, the National Convention, which ought to hold in December, was brought forward.

 

Chairman of PDP Governors’ Forum, Aminu Waziri Tambuwal, who briefed journalists at the end of the meeting, said the party’s National Convention will be held before the end of October.

 

According to him: “The meeting deliberated extensively on the issues thrown up and resolved that the constitution, traditions and practices of the party should be strictly adhered to in finding solutions to any problems.

 

“That all parties should sheath their swords in the greater interest of the PDP and the need to rescue Nigeria from the avoidable national malaise and drift occasioned by the APC administration.

 

“That all processes leading to an early National Convention in October be immediately activated by relevant party organs, especially the National Executive Committee (NEC).

 

“That the party should redouble efforts to provide a credible alternative leadership for Nigeria as it still remains the only hope for the Nigerian people for good governance.

 

“The meeting requested the NEC to immediately constitute a zoning committee for party offices and another committee for national elective offices.”

 

On whose duty it is to convene the NEC meeting, the Sokoto State governor said it is “the National Chairman who is constitutionally empowered to  do so.” This was the outcome of a series of meetings by organs of the party in a bid to find a solution to the leadership crisis.

All the 13 PDP governors and the deputy governor of Zamfara State, were present at the meeting.

 

The governors had met on Monday without reaching a consensus.

 

The meeting continued on Tuesday, forcing the BoT to shift the meeting, which was earlier scheduled for 10 am to 2 pm.

 

Members of the National Assembly, former Presidents of the Senate, former PDP National Chairman, former ministers and other party stakeholders, were present at the meeting, which lasted barely more than 30 minutes. BoT Chairman, Senator Walid Jibrin, expressed happiness at the attendance of party stakeholders but urged them to substitute personal interest with party interest.

 

“Nigerians are waiting for PDP,” Jibrin added, and commended the governors whom he described as financiers of the party, for initiating the reconciliation process. Tambuwal assured that the governors were committed to resolving the crisis and moving the party forward.

 

“Speaking on behalf of my colleagues, we have resolved, we are committed to remaining in the PDP. “Disregard any rumour, every rumour that any of these distinguished leaders are going anywhere.

 

“We are in PDP, we are going to remain in PDP and by the grace of God we shall be working together to salvage Nigeria. “If you say you are going somewhere, where? APC is no party. They do not have a ward structure as we speak.

 

They do not have a local government structure as we speak. They do not have state structures as we speak. “They do not have national structure as we speak. APC has never had, and is not having a Board of Trustees.

 

So where are you going?” he asked. He promised that the governors will remain together and work, reinvent the party, and work towards forming the next government.

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