The national leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party has fixed December 9 this year for its national convention, where national officers are to be elected. The leadership of the organs of the party had been informed about the date, which is said to have been accepted. However, it was learnt that the meeting of the National Executive Committee of the party would be called to ratify the date and the agenda for the convention.
The top source said copies of the expected amendment had been distributed to members of the party and its leaders in the country.
The convention, it was further learnt, would be used to solidify the zoning of the party’s presidential ticket to the North. It was further learnt learnt that there were contending forces within the party who had been pressurising the party to compel its governors from the South to allow all contestants interested in the office of the national chairman vie for it at the convention.
In order to achieve this, some power brokers were also said to be mounting pressure on the Senator Ahmed Makarfi-led National Caretaker Committee to set up a new zoning committee. The former governor of Kaduna State was however said to have rebuffed the pressure, which if granted, is considered to be capable of causing fresh crisis in the party. Makarfi however said on Sunday that the caretaker committee would not bow to such pressure.
This implies that the last zoning, which was handled by the Governor of Ebonyi State, Mr. Dave Umahi, will be used by the party. “No new zoning,” Makarfi said in a terse text message to our correspondent, but was silent on other inquiries. (The Punch)