By Emeka Nze
Abuja
Northern Elders Forum of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has called on the Board of Trustees (BoT) to take over the party from the Ali Modu Sheriff-led executives, pending the election of a substantive leadership.
Leader of the group, Prof. Jerry Gana, who briefed newsmen after the meeting yesterday in Abuja, insisted that the proposed convention of the party scheduled for Port Harcourt on May 21, should be postponed to allow for proper conduct of ward and state congresses.
The elders also rejected the zoning of the party’s chairmanship position to the north, noting that the “zoning arrangement should follow the tradition already established by the party which stipulates that there should be a balance between the north and the south.”
Gana said since the party’s National Working Committee had zoned the presidency in 2019 to the North, the chairmanship position should naturally be zoned to the south.
Speaking on why the party’s BoT should take over the leadership; Gana insisted that their tenure “should expire on May 21, 2016, because they had shown to Nigerians that they were either unable or unwilling to bring about change.”
He said for an amendment to be introduced, such proposal should be taken to each state chapter of the party for at least 90 days while members of the NEC are to study the amendments for at least 30 days before considering the proposed amendment.
Speaking earlier before the commencement of the meeting, Gana expressed regretted supporting Sheriff as the chairman of the party, noting that his support was predicated on the agreement that he would complete the remaining duration of the North-east.
“I was mandated by the BOT to meet with the governors’ forum and members of the national caucus to find a peaceful solution. It was a painful decision for me but we wanted a solution so we supported that Sheriff should continue in office for three months. Elders are solution providers.
“We said since this person is coming to conclude the turn of the North-east, we should allow him to come and conclude the tenure. He addressed the gathering and said he would conduct
election and usher in new leaders. Now it is a different story. You must not be on the wrong side of history because those who do don’t ever recover. We shall win; we shall succeed.”
Also in a remark, the co-convener of the meeting and former Deputy President Senate Ibrahim Mantu, said the party cannot afford to continue with its old ways which denied it victory in 2015.
He said: “The former president agreed that he was only going to serve for only four years but when the time came, he said he would contest again and that was what cost us the election. One would have thought that we have learnt our lessons, but the crowning glory of impunity
was when Ali Modu Sheriff, was brought. He did not emerge from the state; he did not come through the ward. It is the greatest insult to us if some two young men would bring a man to us and tell us this is the man that is good for you.
“We, as northerners should decide who we want to be our chairman. To me it is the height of insensibility; it is an insult to us. It is an insult to the North. Even if we don’t succeed, we want to be counted on the right side of history.”
The meeting was attended by former governors, ministers, National Assembly members and some founding fathers of the party from the North.
