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Tag: PDP National Convention

  • Defection talks: Why ex-president Jonathan was absent at PDP National Convention – Gov Okowa

    Defection talks: Why ex-president Jonathan was absent at PDP National Convention – Gov Okowa

    The Governor of Delta State, Ifeanyi Okowa, on Monday said former President Goodluck Jonathan was absent at the just concluded National Convention of the Peoples Democratic Party because he had prior engagements abroad.

    Eyes had been raised at Jonathan’s absence at the Convention amid speculations that he may soon defect to the ruling All Progressives Congress or that he was unhappy with developments within the PDP.

    But Jonathan, since leaving the Presidency in 2015, has undertaken several international appointments and regularly travels abroad.

    In July 2020, Jonathan was appointed Special Envoy of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) to lead mediation talks during the 2020 Malian protests.

    On Saturday, the day of the PDP Convention, the ex-President was scheduled to depart for Nairobi, Kenya, to attend the 12th African Union (AU) High-Level Retreat on the promotion of peace, security and stability in Africa.

    “I believe communications were made with the former President Goodluck Jonathan but he had prior engagements outside the country,” Okowa said on Monday. “He was unable to attend because he had commitments abroad and he had to meet up with that.”

    The Governor said the PDP “is very cohesive and we are working together.”

    However, Okowa couldn’t explain why former Vice President Namadi Sambo, was absent at the Convention.

    Okowa said the PDP, with the success of its National Convention, was now ready to rescue Nigeria from the APC.

    He said the ruling party had mismanaged the country and his party was a “credible alternative.”

    “We do know exactly what we are in at the moment; there is crisis in everything, in insecurity, in the economy. And a lot of people are really hungry, the number of unemployment is growing, the youths are becoming restive. And they are no longer comfortable with the country they call their own,” Okowa said.

    “So when you look at all these things and the fact that the economy is nosediving everyday, and when you look at the kind of budget that is being presented to Nigerians, there is cause to worry, that it is something that cannot take us in the right direction.

    “The insecurity is beginning to impact on our agricultural production. And that is not good for our country. We may find ourselves in the next few years going into food insecurity, and that will probably be the worst.

    “So looking at this, you will agree with me that we need to retrieve Nigeria from the path we are on now. Something needs to be done. That is why we have presented ourselves as a credible alternative, to take Nigeria back to the path of progress.

    “We need to make people believe that there is hope for a new Nigeria and we will not be in a situation where we have deep insecurity crisis, like we have in places like Afghanistan, because we are almost at that level now at the moment, and it is not the best for our nation.”

    Meanwhile, Okowa denied that PDP Governors had hijacked the party structure.

    “I don’t agree that the Governors are dominating the party,” he said. “The Governors try their best, to give guidance to the party.”

  • National Convention: Appeal Court decides for PDP tomorrow

    National Convention: Appeal Court decides for PDP tomorrow

    The Appeal Court in Port Harcourt, Rivers State will on Friday decide whether or not the Peoples Democratic Party will go ahead with the conduct of its National Convention this weekend.

    A panel of three justices, headed by the Justice Haruna Simon Tsammani, reserved the ruling on Thursday after hearing arguments in the application filed by the former Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, Uche Secondus to suspend the conduct of the convention.

    The convention, slated for October 30 and 31 in Abuja, had been fixed by the PDP’s National Working Committee as part of efforts to resolve the party’s internal crisis.

    The convention is expected to lead to the election of new national officers.

    But this decision did not go down well with Secondus, hence the filing of the application.

    During Thursday’s proceedings, Tayo Oyetibo (SAN), counsel to Secondus, argued that refusing to grant his application to stop the PDP Convention can be likened to “pulling off the rug under the feet of the appellant”.

    He said his client will be permanently denied the right to preside over or participate in the convention if the pending applications bordering on his leadership and membership status go in his favour.

    But the submission was opposed by Henry Bello, counsel to the first to fifth respondents, who are the Chairmen of the Peoples Democratic Party in five Local Government Areas of Rivers State.

    The Chairmen are challenging Secondus’s legal right to resume as National Chairman of the PDP following his suspension from the party in his ward in Ikuru Town in Andoni Local Government Area of Rivers State.

    Mr. Bello reading an except of his 24-paragraph affidavit sworn to by the First respondent (one of the LGA party Chairmen), argued that the application to stop the PDP convention by Uche Secondus, was alien to the existing appeals before the court bordering on the leadership and membership of Uche Secondus in the party.

    The opposition by Henry Bello was supported by the lawyer to the PDP, Sunday Ameh (SAN).

    He submitted that Secondus voluntarily handed over the authorities of his office to a subordinate who has been acting lawfully as the National Chairman and is bestowed with the right to preside over the National Convention.

    According to him, “the balance of convenience in the matter is in not granting the application” to stop the convention.

    Also, Donald Dee-Nwigwe (SAN), representing the ninth and 10th respondents, picked holes in the argument by Tayo Oyetibo (SAN) that the conduct of the National Convention by the PDP will be a denial of Uche Secondus right to preside over the convention.

    He submitted that, “a Chairmanship position of the PDP is at best a political privilege, not a right” and that the September judgment of a High Court in Rivers State which validated the suspension of Uche Secondus from the party has nullified any such privilege which Uche Secondus seeks to protect through his application.

    Other counsels, including Godwin Obla (SAN), Sebastine Horns, who represented other respondents like the National Vice Chairman, South-South of the PDP, Dan Obih, also opposed the application to stop the PDP convention.

    To further defend his application, counsel to Secondus, Tayo Oyetibo argued that the use of the word “Shall” in the PDP convention bestowed on Uche Secondus, the right, not privilege to preside over party conversations.

    He also submitted that the application before the court is not to “prohibit the convention of the party, but to suspend the convention pending the determination of the rights of the parties”.

  • PDP reacts to suspended National Chairman Secondus’ suit seeking to stop October 30 national convention

    PDP reacts to suspended National Chairman Secondus’ suit seeking to stop October 30 national convention

    The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) National Convention Organising Committee (NCOC) says it will go with the planned National Convention scheduled for October 30 and 31, 2021.

    In a statement on Sunday, the Secretary of the NCOC, Governor Seyi Makinde, said the convention will take place regardless of the “distraction” posed by a case instituted at the High Court in Kaduna to prevent the event from being held.

    The case, which was launched by Uche Secondus, suspended chairman of the PDP, sought to stop the preparation for the convention, pending the hearing of his chairmanship case in the court of appeal.

    While playing down Secondus’ suit, Governor Makinde said the party is “aware of the actions of a few misguided PDP members who have approached the High Court in Kaduna in an attempt to prevent our great party, the PDP from holding its National Convention on October 30 and 31, 2021.

    “Notwithstanding their right to approach a court of competent jurisdiction to air their grievances, we maintain that the National Executive Committee (NEC) of the PDP has acted in good faith in fixing our convention for October 30 and 31. It is not meant to witch-hunt anyone or to truncate anyone’s mandate,” the statement added.

    “Therefore, we call on all members and supporters of the PDP to ignore this distraction as we prepare to host a convention that will send a clear signal to Nigerians that the PDP is the only party that has the will and the might to rescue Nigeria from the catastrophe that we have been enduring for the past six years.

    “We are aware that a clearly united PDP is a threat to the forces that seek to divide us. Therefore, we urge our teeming supporters nationwide to keep the faith as we are taking all necessary measures to ensure that we will not be distracted from our goal.”

    The governor further noted that the PDP is determined to strengthen its party structure and to put in the work needed to unify and restore the nation back on the path to economic prosperity and greatness.

    On behalf of the PDP, Makinde urged all party faithful to continue to rally support even as the opposition political party prepares to host its National Convention.

  • PDP announces venue for National Convention

    PDP announces venue for National Convention

    The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has chosen Abuja as the venue for its national convention.

    The decision was reached at the party’s 92nd National Executive Committee meeting which was presided over by acting National Chairman, Elder Yemi Akinwonmi on Saturday.

    The NEC also agreed to reconvene in September.

    Main opposition party PDP has recently been hit by multiple defections as some embittered members call for the resignation of Uche Secondus as National Chairman.

    The embattled National Chairman has been accused of having “no clear road map, blue print or policy programme for the PDP.”

    At least two court judgements have asked Secondus to step aside as party chief while a court judgement obtained in Kebbi said he could continue in the role.

    Secondus was absent at Saturday’s NEC meeting.