allAfrica.com: Nigeria: A Convention of Many Dates (Page 1 of 2)

Like a mirage, dates for the ward and local government congresses, including the national convention of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), keep changing and owing to these changes, rumours have started making the rounds that Dr Ahmadu Ali, the party's national chairman, is nursing a sit-tight agenda.

At first, the national convention of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) was billed for December 8, 2007 after the meeting of the party's 41st National Executive Council on Thursday, September 13, 2007.At that meeting, it was resolved that all the current executives of the party at various levels will tender their notices of resignation two months to special congresses and convention. However, the resignations shall be effective on the day such congresses and convention are held. This resolution was strictly adhered to as those holding positions at national level tendered their resignation letters on November 8, 2007, exactly two months to the convention. This was confirmed by the party's National Publicity Secretary, Lady Ime Udom.

As the count down to the convention began, ward congresses were held in all the thirty six states of the federation, including the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), on November 4. However, the Independent Electoral Commission (INEC) put everything on hold owing to a legal matter. PDP, according to the commission, did not give it the mandatory 21-day notice before commencing the exercise which is a gross violation of the Electoral Act.

PDP's National Working Committee (NWC), instead of engaging in needless power tussle or splitting of hairs over the provisions of the Electoral Act, went ahead to set new dates for ward congresses and the conven-tion, putting it between December 4, 2007 and January 5, 2008 respec-tively.These new dates met a stiff resistance from members as they coincided with the Muslim and Christian festivities, a situation which would have excluded the participation of large majority of party members. The issue was tabled before the National Executive Council (NEC) meeting of the party on November 23, 2007. NEC members deferred on fixing new dates but they unanimo-usly agreed to do so at their next meeting scheduled for the 31st of January. So, as it is now, the matter has been suspended indefinately

With the latest develop-ment, the resignation of all officers at various levels shall now come to effect when new dates for congresses and convention are put in place going by the explanation given by PDP's National Secretary, Bernard Ezeh while he was responding to questions from reporters after the NEC meeting.

However, this so called indefinite postponement of the special congresses and convention is causing a lot of bad blood within PDP. Specifically, it has given room for speculations that members of the Ahmadu Ali-led national leadership are stealthily planning to sit tight on their current positions. Text messages purportedly originated from Ikenga Imo Ugochinyere, who was reported to have said that he has the backing of PDP Chairman, were circulated to this effect.

The full text of the message reads: "Special morning greetings/ happy Sunday. Support the patriotic campaign for the present PDP National Working Committee four years tenure completion. The tenure of the present NWC led by Dr. Ahmadu Ali and Bernard Eze is still valid. Era of cut and join politics is over, rule of law must prevail. All loyal PDP members and patriotic Nigerians must join the campaign for the restoration of the dignity of the PDP constitution as an internal foundation for enhanced democracy. We must put Mr. President's rule of law theory into work by standing on the side of constitutionalism that an NWC elected at our 2005 national convention can only go at the end of four years tenure (2009). Any move to illegally institute a new NWC will be declared null and void by a competent court. On 2009 convention we stand".

A newspaper played up this report and PDP expressed displeasure over it, prompting the party to convene an impromptu press briefing on Thursday last week. The meeting was addressed by its National Publicity Secretary, Lady Udom to denounce the insinuation, describing it as baseless, false in its entirety and a malicious and negative speculative exercise clearly intended to smear the reputation of Senator Ali.

She said that the party views the story as an exercise in extreme bad faith which is capable of inciting the public and heating up the polity unnecessarily. Apparently reacting to some of the issues raised in the story, the Publicity secretary ruled out the possibility of a caretaker committee to head the party. Senator Ali, according to her, is neither desperate to cling on to his current position nor seeking any favour from the authorities. "The provoking publication mentioned the Chairman's continuous stay in office as a bargaining tool for a preferred ambassadorial posting" she said. According to her "nothing can be farther from the truth. Senator Ali's nomination as an ambassador is at the pleasure of the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and he, as a dutiful citizen, is prepared to serve anywhere the President deems it fit for him to go. Lady Udom pointed out that "the PDP constitution has adequate provisions for filling up vacancies where they exist and such provisions do not include setting up caretaker committees. Senator Ali is not desperately clinging on to his current position for any reason whatsoever, neither is he arm-twisting the authorities for any favours as insinuated."

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