Ali, others resign as PDP officers

Idowu Samuel, Abuja - 31.01.2008

THE National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Senator Ahmadu Ali, and members of the party’s National Working Committee, have resigned their appointments. The officers turned in notices of their resignation after the meeting of its National Executive Committee held on Tuesday where the dates for the PDP national convention and congresses were fixed and approved.

The resignation of Ali and others from their respective offices was in compliance with the rules of the ruling party which specify that elected officers must turn in notice of registration from their respective offices not less than 30 days before the party’s national convention.

Ali, other national, state and local government officers of the PDP, had earlier served the national headquarters notice of their resignation early in November 2007 in anticipation that the national convention and congresses of the party would be held in January.

When it became apparent that the convention would not be held as scheduled, the PDP resolved to withdraw the letters of resignation last December and asked them to continue as the national convention was postponed indefinitely.

By implication, the national secretariat of the PDP would now be operating skeleton services till after its convention, although the National Chairman would still be conducting the affairs of the PDP until March 7.

Some of the national officers beginning from last week have been packing their personal effects from their offices in the belief that the date for the convention would be fixed earlier than anticipated.

The PDP’s highest decision making organ had ratified the dates of its convention and congresses during its last meeting in Abuja with indication that the much postponed convention would now be held on March 8.

Chief Bayo Alao, Deputy National Publicity Secretary, confirmed the resignation of Ali and others from their offices when the Nigerian Tribune sought confirmation. He said the action by the PDP national officers was in agreement with what the rules of the party had specified.

Alao said the resignation of the officers had finally laid to rest all speculations about the plan by Ali and the other officials to elongate their tenure in office. He said the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) was the main cause of the postponement of the conventions by the party following its complaint that the PDP failed to comply with a provision of the electoral law before fixing the date of it national convention and congresses.

'He said the date of the election, having now been properly fixed, the INEC would not have any further reason to complain.