‘NWC will review Ondo primary poll results’
By Emeka Nze
Abuja
In fulfilment of Senator Ali Modu Sheriff’s conditions for peace in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), the Board of Trustees (BoT) has directed the Ahmed Makarfi-led national caretaker committee to hold the next national convention in Abuja.
In a communiqué read by its National Chairman, Senator Walid Jubrin, shortly after its meeting in Abuja yesterday, the BoT also directed that a new convention planning committee be constituted by the caretaker committee.
BoT also said the Planning Committee should be approved by the party’s National Executive Committee (NEC).
Recall that the planning committee of the botched convention of the party in Port Harcourt, Rivers state, was headed by Governor Nyesom Wike but the Sheriff faction, as part of its condition, said it would not participate in a convention which has Wike as the chairman of planning committee.
Sheriff also demanded that the convention should be shifted from Port Harcourt to Abuja.
The BoT communiqué read in part: “The next convention should be held in Abuja.
“To ensure a credible, transparent, free and fair convention, a new Convention Planning Committee should be constituted by the National Caretaker Committee and approved by NEC.”
Walid added that the BoT should facilitate the raising of adequate funds for the party, even as he urged the Board’s reconciliation committee, headed by Prof. Jerry Gana, to continue with the efforts at reconciling all aggrieved party members.
Passing a vote of confidence on the National Caretaker Committee, the BoT charged it to, as soon as possible, convene a meeting of the NEC to accordingly approve proposals for moving the party forward.
Meanwhile, factional National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Senator Ali Modu Sheriff, has assured party members in Ondo state that the National Working Committee (NWC) would review the processes and circumstances of the governorship primaries which held in Ibadan yesterday.
A statement by the National Organising Secretary of the faction, Mr. Okey Nnadozie, yesterday, said the decision was due to petitions and protest phone calls which inundated the temporary office of the party in Abuja.
He said: “While the result from the exercise is at best tentative, until approved by the NWC, the body wishes to assure all aspirants, stakeholders, members and teeming supporters of the party in the state that it will comprehensively review the processes and circumstances of the exercise accordingly.
“This decision is as a result of serious reports claiming that proper accreditation was not done for the exercise.
“The review, therefore, will enable the NWC take an informed decision on whether to conduct a fresh primary or uphold the result from today’s (August 29, 2016) exercise.
“The NWC notes that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has given political parties up to September 19th to conduct primaries for the Ondo governorship election.
“Finally, the National Chairman, Senator Ali Modu Sheriff, assures all aspirants, members and supporters of our great party in Ondo and across the nation that the NWC will come out with the best possible position on this matter.”
