Uncertainty Over PDP National Convention - As Aggrieved Members Go To Court

Idowu Samuel, Abuja - 01.03.2008

A week to their National Convention, members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) are gripped by apprehension following the insistence of some aggrieved members to effect the postponement of the convention by a court action.

Three of the aggrieved members, during the week, raised a measure of uncer-tainty over the convention by their resolve to file a petition before the court, with a prayer that it should be stopped on the ground that the convention was not properly called.

The members, including Alhaji Abdullahi Maibirigi, Chief Iroha C. Iroha and Asamau Ahmed argued that the National Working Committee (NWC) of the PDP did not have the constitutional power to call for the convention, insisting that only the National Executive Committee of the party has such power.

There are indications that the Court may not be in the mood to entertain any petition likely to halt the PDP National Convention.

Saturday Tribune learnt that the petitioners would approach the court formally next week to file the protest against the National Convention.

Members of the G-21 are being fingered as the brain behind the moves to stop the PDP National Convention, although the leader of the group, Sen. Ken Nnamani, had, last week, affirmed that it had dropped the plan to proceed to the court in protest against the convention.

The Acting National Publicity Secretary of the PDP, Bayo Alao, had said up till last Friday, preparations for the convention was still in progress, affirming that nothing would prevent the party from holding it as scheduled for March 8.

Alao said no one had approached the party formally with a protest against the convention, disclosing that it was not constitutional for anyone to ask court to stop the convention without first clarifying their grievances with the party.

He said the PDP had an internal mechanism for addressing grievances of its members, urging members with any complaints to lay such before the outgoing national officers of the party for redress.

During his last press conference in Abuja, the National Chairman of the PDP, Chief Ahmadu Ali, had allayed fears over the possible postponement of the convention.

He disclosed to newsmen that he had personally got in touch with members of the G-21 on their threat to stop the convention and had got assurances from them that no member had such a plan.

Meanwhile, the aggrieved members had cited Article 12.72(a) of the PDP constitution, arguing that PDP breached a section of the constitution by not allowing its NEC to convene the convention.

The Article states, “The National Executive Committee shall (A) convene the National Convention and appoint a convention Organising Committee, which shall circulate convention information in advance and ensure that the concerns of the membership are reflected on the agenda.”