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PDP National Convention: 3600 delegates set to crown Ayu, Anyanwu as chairman, secretary in new NWC

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OBIORA IFOH, Abuja

 

The Peoples Democratic Party, PDP will in the next twenty-four hours elect its new set of National Working Committee members in a consensus arrangement that will endorse Dr.  Iyorcha Ayu and Senator Samuel Anyanwu as the National Chairman and National Secretary of the party respectively.
The coast was cleared on Friday after the Port Harcourt Division of the Court of Appeal, dismissed an application filed by the suspended National Chairman of the party, Prince Uche Secondus, seeking to stop the party’s special convention. 
 
The panel of three judges led by Justice Haruna Tsammani found no merit in  Secondus’ appeal saying he voluntarily relinquished his office since he did not challenge his removal at ward and local government levels.
Speaking with the media on Friday the Governor of Adamawa state and Chairman, 2021 National Convention Organizing Committee of the Party,  Umaru Fintiri said over 80 percent of the positions including that of the National Chairman and the National Secretary have emerged through concensus arrangement.
Ayu emerged the consensus candidate of the North after the other aspirants including former Katsina state governor, Ibrahim Shema and Suleiman Nazif, the incumbent Deputy National Chairman stepped down. His candidacy was later adopted by the stakeholders from the South.
Senator Anyanwu’s consensus arose after the Screening Committee disqualified Okey Muo-Aroh, an aspirant from Anambra State over his purported suit instituted against the party, an allegation he has denied. The other aspirant, Hon.CID Maduabum stepped down.
Gov. Fintiri while speaking about the convention, said, “All the positions being contested for are fully occupied. The result of the Screening Committee was submitted to me yesterday and all the positions and individuals that were disqualified, was further upheld by the Appeal Committee.
“At the moment, we’re making efforts to reconcile most of our contestants so that we can streamline them to have a better Convention, which will be hitch free and deepened our chances for 2023. Most of the positions as at today, except for three will not be contested.
“What we’ll be doing tomorrow along with you, the problem has reduced significantly and we will  keep posting as  the events unfold. At the moment we are talking to those that are contesting for the Office of the Deputy National Chairman South and  those that are contesting for Office of the Auditor, and those that are now contesting for the Office Youth Leader, I think at the moment it is just the offices that still have many people contesting for them. The rest have been streamlined and the consensus looks like okay”.
On why National Secretary aspirant Okey Muo-Aroh was disqualified, Gov. Fintiri said, “clearly we have a section that defines zoning in our Constitution. That position was zoned to the South and was micro zone to South East and in the South East, the caucus met and zoned it to Abia and Imo. Also, the Office of the Auditor was zoned to Enugu and Anambra.
“The gentleman in question is from a Anambra we should have expected him as the party man to respect the zoning and the arrangements of the caucus in the zone and for him to buy the form to contest the Office of the Auditor which was Zoned to his state but he moved to Imo and Abia  to buy form where he does not come from. And I think every institution and organization must have a way of disciplining its members.”
Fintiri áalso said that about 3600 delegates were being expected for the convention.
“You know PDP has produced a lot of officials for this country and our Constitution has also allowed for some former this and former that and we have people that have crossed over to the other side. So we have to be careful so that we don’t include them. But at the moment I think we’re satisfied that we have brought the list to where we  feel we are okay. Those that are still with us.”
While explaining the consensus choice of the Deputy National Chairman North, and why former National Women Leader, Inna Ciroma may stand down, the governor said, “The 35% affirmation for woman is not properly defined in the Constitution as to which positions should go for a woman or which position should go for men as it also indicates the provision of section 42 in the Nigerian constitution 1999 as amended.
“So we are talking and I think we’ll have a definite positions for women in our next constitution amendment that we’re going to have probably next year to look at it so that we can give women their position properly defined in our Constitution, because we felt this is a party that respect women. This is a party that must carry woman along if we want to win the election, and the woman are also with us.”
He said that Inna Ciroma’s position will be made clear by tomorrow. “Like I told you there are positions and there are people that we’re still talking to. Even though in this party, we’re not forcing anybody to step down and the candidates are talking amongst themselves.
“So if she and the other candidate who is from the state of her husband, they would decide among themselves either him or Ciroma will step down for one other. So we’ll announce that tomorrow and you hear. But as I’m talking to you, they are talking among themselves.”
Though, the governor would not divulge the budget for the election but did say that voting at the convention would be through open secret ballot.
The Deputy National Chairman, South is still being hotly contested by former National Secretary,  Brig. Gen. Olagunsoye Oyinlola retired and former National Vice Chairman South West, Taofeek Arapaja. While Oyinlola has the support of the former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and most of the northern delegates, Arapaja has the support of Oyo state governor, Seyi Makinde and some South West delegates.
Speaking further,  Fintiri while appraising the performance of Uche Secondus led NWC which is expected to run through December 9, said, “They’ve done wonderfully well for this party. We were able to galvanize and walk and plan for this party in 2019 to move from about 10 governments to almost 18 governments with more House of Reps, more of the assembly as they won previously in the last election.
“But we have to give it to also this incoming National Working Committee that will be given back more than they’re going to pick from where the present National Working Committee have stopped and with the calibre of the men and women that will become new National Working Committee, which is headed by His Excellency Chief Iyorcha Ayu. We all know that we can beat our chest because of his capacity, his intellectual and his integrity.
“So we should expect from December 9, a new charged, energize National Working Committee that can face the government of today, to put them into their right place and get them out of government by 2023. That is our concern. And that is the concern of all NIgerians.
“And that is the concern of all of us here because the experiences of the suffering we are going through in this country does not only affect the PDP members, it also affects the members of the media. So we’re asking you to come together on this journey, so that we can rescue our country and put it in the rightful place in our lives”.
On when this new executive will commence in view of the position of the suspended National Chairman, Secondus, the governor said, “There will be no vacuum because we’re not truncating anybody’s tenure, we only call for an early convention. Which is also in the provision of party. But that does not mean that because we are having early convention we are terminating the tenure of the present NWC.
“They will still be asked to serve their time on until December 9.  If any thing, it will give us better chance for them to interface and have a smooth transition so that they will understand themselves well and handover the party.”
Meanwhile, a party chieftain, Chief Osita Chidoka has said that the party must start thinking beyond the convention. While advising the in coming executive, the former Minister of Aviation wants the Party to galvanise as a truly national party living up to the concept of the umbrella.
According to him, the PDP should also “develop a coherent and alternative policy plan to rescue Nigeria; stem the exit of high profile members and rebuild the party in the weak zones of North West and North East; engage the new voter demographics of 18 to 35 who do not remember the robust PDP years of 2003 to 2014; build a party digital and election infrastructure at par with INEC and capable of delivering a PDP candidate in 2023
Chidoka expectations are: “Craft a new narrative that is inclusive, hopeful and forward-looking; that President Buhari tenure is over, Nigeria is on its knees economically and security-wise; PDP should refocus its messaging to offer credible alternatives and reinvigorate its base while winning the undecided; as well as after the electoral convention, we need a policy convention. We need to recalibrate. PDP is not benefitting from APC’s misrule, that perception and reality must change.”

 

 

 

 

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