Future at stake as PDP holds convention today
From John-Abba Ogbodo (Abuja) and Alemma-Ozioruva Aliu (Benin)
ABOUT 4,000 delegates of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) last night converged to address some controversial clauses in the party's constitution at the Eagle Square in the Federal Capital, Abuja. The delegates, who arrived from all parts of the country in buses, met serious accommodation shortage last night.
The exercise is meant to bring internal democracy to the party and return it to the path charted by its founding fathers. As a prelude to today's convention, the PDP National Executive Committee (NEC) met two weeks ago to ratify the agenda and set up a 99-member committee chaired by former Governor of Kwara State, Alhaji Shaaba Lafiagi, to organise the convention.
Among others, the convention is expected to endorse the decision of NEC as it relates to Article 12:77 on composition and functions of the Board of Trustees (BoT) of the party.
The amendment carried out in 2006 limits the membership of the board to former Presidents and Vice Presidents elected on the platform of the party and past national chairmen of the party. All the listed persons must still be members of the party to qualify. The clause makes former Presidents automatic chairman of the board. But in the amendment being taken to the convention for ratification, chairmanship of the board is open to all members of the board through election while the size of the board has been increased substantially.
Article 12:77(b), which is being amended reads: "The Board of Trustees shall, without prejudice to the provision of this constitution, ensure that an elected chairman is (1) either a formal President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria produced by the party or in the absence of such; a former national chairman of the party who has distinguished himself in the service of the party; and a person of proven integrity who has contributed immensely to the growth of the party."
Also slated for ratification is the clause that reduces the number of delegates of wards and states congresses from 25 to 15.
As at last night, the venue of the convention was agog with activities as both security men and members of the planning committee were busy test-running equipment and combing the venue. Polling booths were being constructed.
Unlike the previous conventions, where delegates would flood the venue at night before the event, no such crowd was seen last night.
PDP National Publicity Secretary, Prof. Rufai Ahmed Alkali, who also is the chairman of the publicity sub-committee of the convention, said arrangement for the event had been completed and assured that it would be a hitch-free.
"As you can see, we have put the necessary machinery in place for the convention and we shall, by the grace of Almighty God, have one of the most peaceful conventions ever organised by the party," he said.
One issue that will be resolved at the convention is whether former President Olusegun Obasanjo, who is the current chairman of the BoT, will serve for three more years or begin a fresh term of five years because the new clause allows a single term of five years for the occupant of the office.
The crisis rocking the party in Edo State seemed not over yesterday as two factions in the state sent delegates to the convention.
The faction loyal to chairman of the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), Chief Tony Anenih, over the weekend met in Benin City to pick delegates for the event.
Briefing newsmen after the meeting attended by factional chairman, Samson Ekhabafe, Speaker of the House of Assembly, Zakawanu Garuba, Majority Leader, Frank Okiye and other party faithful, the Publicity Secretary, Nosa Adams, said the meeting was to finalise arrangements on the convention and to mobilise delegation from the state.
But in a reaction to the meeting, the chairman of the group being led by Dr. Samuel Ogbemudia and former Chief of General Staff, Vice Admiral Mike Akhigbe, Edward Sado, said he would compile a list of delegates for the state in the convention.
In a telephone chat with The Guardian yesterday, Sado said he remained the authentic chairman of the party in the state.
"We are in a country where the rule of law is respected so I am not expecting that any other persons will present themselves outside the people we have chosen and they are already there, I am on my way to Abuja now," he said.
The Guardian learnt that the Ekhabafe's faction had earlier penciled down the PDP state secretariat to hold its meeting but had to move its venue to a private hotel after the Sado faction alerted the police, complaining that it was against a court injunction that had restrained Ekhabafe from parading himself as the chairman of the party in the state.
Former governor of the state, Prof. Oserhiemen Osunbor, who has been part of the Ogbemudia/Akhigbe-led faction recently recognised Ekhabfe as the chairman of the party at a meeting called by Anenih in Uromi.
