National Convention: PDP Removes Ex-Govs, Deputies As Automatic Delegates

The Peoples Democratic Party has removed former governors and former deputy governors produced by the party as automatic delegates to its national convention.

The national convention of the party holds in Abuja on Saturday.

It was gathered that the step was taken to make sure that the outcome of the convention was not subjected to another round of legal crisis that could overturn actions taken at the convention.

The Chairman of the National Caretaker Committee of the party, Senator Ahmed Makarfi, was said to have taken the matter to the Thursday’s PDP National Executive Committee meeting in Abuja.

According to a document obtained by our correspondent in Abuja on Sunday, Makarfi said there was the need to remove the former governors and their deputies as automatic delegates to the convention because of the ruling of an Abuja High Court.

Makarfi’s memo was titled, ‘Ammendments /Addendum to NEC approved guidelines for conduct of ward, LGA, State, Zonal congresses and the National Convention, effective November 10, 2017.’

The memo was dated November 30.

In the memo, Makarfi stated that in “paragraph 6.1 (13), page 11 of the guidelines, former governors were listed as delegates to the national convention in view of Section 33 (1) of the PDP Constitution, 2012, which came into force as a result of amendments to the party’s constitution at the December 10 to 12, 2014 national convention.

“Since section 47 (6) of the PDP Constitution 2012 achieved at the 10-12 December 2014 national convention was nullified by an FCT High Court in FCT /HC/CV /1867 //2016 Jero Vs. PDP on the grounds that the amendment did not follow laid down procedure,  in particular,  that it was not registered with the Independent National Electoral Commission within the period prescribed by law, it is necessary to remove former governors and former deputy governors produced by the party who are still members of the party as delegates to the national convention.”

Makarfi called on NEC “to approve the deletion of paragraph 6.1 (13) at page 11 of the guidelines which made former governors and former deputy governors produced by the party who are still members of the party (as) delegates to the national convention.”

It was gathered that the NEC voted in favour of the memo and removed former governors and former deputy governors produced by the party as automatic delegates to the convention.

However, investigations by our correspondent showed that the issue was already being addressed in a fresh amendment being proposed by the party to its constitution.

The proposed fresh amendment was said to have been sent to state chapters of the party and might be one of the issues to be addressed at the convention on Saturday.

Meanwhile, aspirants contesting different offices at the convention, especially the office of the national chairman, have continued their campaigns.

The aspirants who are running for the office of the national chairman are Prince Uche Secondus, Prof. Taoheed Adedoja, Prof. Tunde Adeniran, Chief Olabode George, Chief Gbenga Daniel, Mr Jimi Agbaje, Mr. Segun Adeyemi and Senator Rasheed Ladoja

Adeniran said on Sunday that he was ready, adding that he had covered all the six geo-political zones of the country.

Speaking through his Director of Media, Mr. Taiwo Akeju,  Adeniran said, “We are ready for the convention having covered all the six geo-political zones.  We have nothing to fear,” he said.

Also, Secondus praised the enthusiasm shown by Nigerians to the plan by the party to return to power in 2019.

Speaking with our correspondent on the telephone, Secondus also said he had no issues with the names of those that would conduct the convention, which had just been released.

“We must all have faith in members of our party to conduct an internal election.”