After it’s marathon meeting on Tuesday, the People’s Democratic Party announced that its national convention will hold in October to elect new members of the National Working Committee (NWC).
The Chairman of the PDP Governors Forum, Governor Aminu Tambuwal of Sokoto State, disclosed this to journalists after a meeting of the leaders of the party in Abuja. The meeting, which lasted for several hours at the national secretariat of the party, was attended by PDP governors, members of the Board of Trustees (BoT) and members of the National Assembly. Some former governors, former ministers and other senior members of the party were also in attendance.
It was convened to resolve the leadership crisis which had engulfed the main opposition party in the last few weeks, leading to calls for the resignation of the National Chairman, Uche Secondus.
The Secondus-led NWC members were elected in December 2017 for a four-year term. The embattled national chairman vowed on Monday not to resign but to serve out his term.
The BoT and PDP Governors Forum had previously met separately to intervene in the crisis, especially after the resignation of seven members of the NWC last Thursday.
Although the national convention ought to have been held in December, the crisis forced the party to settle for early convention in October.
Mr Tambuwal said the National Executive Committee (NEC) was also mandated to meet at a date yet to be scheduled to constitute a committee to zone national elective and party positions.
In a communique issued after the meeting, the leaders asked all the parties to the crisis to sheathe their sword in the interest of the party.
Read the full communique below:
1. The PDP Stakeholders held a meeting on Tuesday 10th August, 2021, at Wadata Plaza, Abuja on the recent developments in the PDP.
2. There were extensive consultations with all major stakeholders in the Party including the Governors, members of the Board of Trustees, former Presiding Officers and current Principal officers and Leaders from the National Assembly, former Governors, former Ministers, and indeed other leaders of the Party with a view to bringing all tendencies within the Party together in view of the urgent task facing the Party as the only viable vehicle to checkmate the abysmally poor governance of the APC led federal government.
3. The meeting deliberated extensively on the issues thrown up and resolved as follows:
a. That the Constitution, traditions and practices of the Party should be strictly adhered to in finding solutions to any problems.
b. That all parties should sheath their swords in the greater interest of the PDP and the need to RESCUE Nigeria from the avoidable National malaise and drift occasioned by the APC administration.
c. That all processes leading to an early National Convention in October be immediately activated by relevant Party organs, especially National Executive Committee (NEC).
d. That the Party should redouble efforts to provide a credible alternative leadership for Nigeria as it still remains the only hope for the Nigerian people for good governance.
e. The meeting requested the NEC to immediately constitute a Zoning Committee for Party Offices and another Committee for National Elective Offices.
f. The meeting expressed appreciation to Party elders for their commitment and wisdom in handling Party affairs.