• Ratifies plans for national convention
From Ndubuisi Orji, Abuja
There appears to be cracks in the opposition party as Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Governors Forum and Governor of Ekiti State, Ayodele Fayose; his Ebonyi State counterpart, David Umahi, as well as the governor of Cross River State, Prof. Ben Ayade stayed away from the National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting in Abuja, yesterday.
Other PDP governors absent at the beginning of the meeting were Governor Ishaku Darius of Taraba State and Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu State.
The meeting was attended by Governors Ibrahim Dakwambo, Nyesom Wike, Emmanuel Udom and Ifeanyi Okowa of Gombe, Rivers, Akwa Ibom and Delta states respectively. While the governor of Bayelsa State, Henry Serieke Dickson and Abia State governor , Okezie Ikpeazu were represented by their deputies.
Others in attendance at the NEC meeting are former Senate President, David Mark, former PDP chairmen, Prince Vincent Ogbulafor, Ahmadu Ali, Okwesilieze Nwodo, among other party big wigs.
Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) National Executive Committee(NEC) yesterday
Regardless, the NEC has ratified plans for party’s national convention scheduled for December 9.
National Publicity Secretary of the party, Prince Dayo Adeyeye stated this when he briefed newsmen on the outcome of the 77th NEC meeting held at the PDP National Secretariat , Wadata Plaza, Abuja.
He said over 2,800 delegates,made up of special and statutory delegates, are expected to participate at the convention.
Adeyeye said the NEC also approved the composition of the Convention Planning Committee and the amended guidelines for the event.
He, however, refused to disclose the names of members of the convention committee.
The PDP spokesman admonished aspirants for various positions to be civil in their campaigns, noting that nobody’s ambition is more important than the party.
“We are going to organise a free fair and credible party convention. Nigerians still believe in the PDP. Nobody will have any issue. We are not under any threat that there will be a parallel convention. We are optimistic that we are going to have a successful convention,” he said.
Speaking earlier during the opening ceremony, Chairman of the National Caretaker Committee, Senator Ahmed Makarfi, commended the NEC for standing by it in the last 18 months.