By Emeka Nze
Abuja
Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) National Caretaker Committee, Senator Ahmed Mohammed Makarfi, has assured that the committee would not allow the list of delegates to the December 9 national convention to be tampered with.
Makarfi, who was speaking at the 2017 National Convention of the PDP National Professionals and Business Group yesterday in Abuja, said, the caretaker committee would ensure a transparent process.
“The PDP, God willing will win the majority of states and presidency in 2019. We will conduct a free, fair and transparent convention where the outcome would be a reflection of the will of the people.
“Why you get elections wrong is when you allow delegates’ list bastardised. So, we will not allow that to happen,” he said.
Similarly, a former Governor of Niger State, Dr Babangida Aliyu, who chaired the event, said there will be no PDP if the party loses 2019.
“We must come out of the convention stronger and united. Whoever emerges, let us support him. We must unite to win the 2019 elections. If we cannot make it in 2019, we can as well say bye-bye to PDP,” he said.
Ekweremadu warns of disruptive elements
In the same vein, the Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu has cautioned contestants for various positions at the December convention to learn from the fate of those with disruptive tendencies and refrain from destroying the party, in event they lose.
Ekweremadu, who was speaking yesterday at the opening of the 77th National Executive Committee of the PDP, cited an example of an unnamed politician in the country who disrupted the outcome of a particular amendment in the Senate who is now languishing in exile.
He said, “If we get it right, we will win the 2019 election.”
The lawmaker commended the contestants for the mature manner they went about their campaigns, and urged them to continue with the use of decent language.
While urging the contestants to accept the would-be result of the convention, he tasked members of the national caretaker committee to ensure that the convention is credible, free and fair.
Earlier, while welcoming the NEC members, NCC Chairman, Senator Makarfi announced that the 77th NEC might be his last as the party chairman, except there would be developments that may lead to another NEC meeting before the convention.
Makarfi stated that the NCC took “no offence in all the issues that arose while the aspirants canvassed for votes across the country.”
He noted that the publicity that generated from the campaigns were for the PDP, urging members to allow the unity to prevail as there would be a lot to gain even if it may not be immediately.
“United we stand divided will fall; there are a lot to gain with unity. PDP is like Nigeria, it is a divergent party, whatever you don’t get today, you get it tomorrow,” Makarfi said.
The party chair further told the gathering that the NCC had had meetings with the state chapter chairmen, adding that it would continue to consult with the various organs to foster a better understanding among party stakeholders.
He urged the chapter chairmen to meet the national organising secretary of the party to have a second look at the delegate list, adding that the list would available for scrutiny by those with a bona fide interest.
According to Makarfi, the state chairmen were those who conducted the delegate election and not the panels as erroneously being bandied by some party members.
Also speaking, chairman, PDP Board of Trustees, Senator Walid Jubrin, debunked the report that BoT disqualified three chairmanship aspirants, explaining that there was no truth in the information.