The leadership of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in consonance with the presidency has opted to hold a special convention in November this year to elect new national officers for the party.
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The tenure of the present National Working Committee (NWC) is expected to end in March 2012 after the expiration of a four-year tenure which erstwhile chairman Chief Vincent Ogbulafor led.
But, the instability in both the ouster of Dr. Okwesilieze Nwodo and the debate over zoning had pittted the North-East against South-East over each other with both regions agitating for the slot.
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The November date became part of key decisions reached at the meeting between President Goodluck Jonathan, South-East and North East party chieftains, and other stakeholders at the presidential villa, last Friday night.
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The meeting, LEADERSHIP SUNDAY gathered; was called by Jonathan and just as it was agreed that some key party positions should be rezoned. In this direction, while the national chairman of the party should go to South-East, the South-West would produce the National Secretary of the party.
A sourced who spoke to LEADERSHIP SUNDAY stated “The President emphatically stamped his authority directing that the status-quo be maintained in the zoning done. He said it was about time the party forged ahead and pushed aside sentiments that had kept if crisis for some time”
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In the meantime, pending the November convention, the national secretary of the party, Alhaji. Abubakar Baraje, is to take over as the acting national chairman of the party. He is expected to succeed former chairman. Dr. Haliru Mohammed, who has been sworn in as minister under the Jonathan’s administration.
The South East leaders, which included deputy senate president, Sen. Ike Ekwerenmadu and his Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives counterpart, Emeka Ihedioha, had insisted on the South East’s holding of the top PDP job.
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But Jonathan insisted that the North-East should produce the chairmanship, thus directing the party to immediately commence the process of organising the November Convention including arrangements to include the re-zoning of other offices.
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All members of the National Working Committee, apart from Mohammed and Dr Samuel Ortong who are now ministers are also to retain their positions till November. Jonathan, it was said, used the opportunity to ask party stalwarts to continue to work for the party’s greatness.
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The PDP had been enmeshed in leadership crisis over its chairmanship with zoning of the offices being the bone of contention.
Already a splinter group from the PDP says if is heading to court to challenge the decision of the president to allow the North-East produce the next PDP chairman, stating that if ran contrary to Article 14 of the party’s constitution more so that the tenure of the current PDP NWC is yet to come to an end.
LEADERSHIP SUNDAY gathered that the group headed by a former Youth Leader of the party
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