PDP begins 2021 National Convention in Abuja, as three positions remain open for contest

Over 3,600 delegates of the main opposition, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) have kicked-off programmes lined up in Abuja, the nation’s capital, for the 2021 National Convention of the party to elect new executives into the National Working Committee (NWC).

The National Convention of the party runs from Saturday, October 30 through to Sunday 31.

The last hurdle to the event was cleared following the dismissal of a suit, Friday, filed by sacked National Chairman of the party, Prince Uche Secondus, seeking to stop the convention.

The suit filed at the Appeal Court sitting in Port Harcourt and marked CA/PH/ 339, was asking the court to restrain the PDP from conducting its National Convention slated for October 30 and 31, 2021.

Secondus had also prayed the court to dismiss his removal as National Chairman of the party.

However, delivering judgement in the case, the appellant court threw out the suit for lacking in merit, as it also cleared the way for the national Convention to hold.

Meanwhile, the National Chairman-designate of the PDP, Dr Iyorchia Ayu and other national party officers to be elected at the national convention on Saturday will have to wait until December 9 before they can resume office, as the present executive committee will have to see out their tenure which ends on December 8, this year.

Chairman of the Convention Organising Committee, Governor Ahmadu Fintiri of Adamawa state, who disclosed this in Abuja, Friday, also informed that only three positions will be vied for during the national Convention as the rest offices in the 21-menber National Working Committee have been taken by the consensus candidates.

Speaking on what to expect at the convention, Fintiri said that of the 21 available party offices, only three will be contested for.

He listed the three as the Deputy National Chairman (South) with Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola and Taofeek Arapaja vying for the position.

Also in contention is the position of National Auditor with three candidates contesting for the position.

The contestants are Okechukwu Obiechina Daniel, Ikechukwu Samben Nwosu and Mrs Chibuogwu Benson-Oraelosi.

Similarly, Muhammed Kadade Suleiman and Usman Elkudan will be vying for the position of National Youth Leader.

Governor Fintiri also said that the party’s Screening Appeal Panel had affirmed the disqualification of all the aspirants who were barred for contesting for positions at the convention by the Screening Committee.

He added that the Appeal Committee threw out the petitions filed against Arapaja and Samuel Anyanwu who are candidates for Deputy National Chairman (South) and National Secretary respectively.

Candidates cleared by the screening committee chaired by Mohammed Adoke, a former Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, for the 21 National Working Committee (NWC) positions include: Sen. Dr. Iyorchia Ayu – National Chairman; Amb. Umar Iliya Damagum – Deputy National Chairman (North); Hajiya Inna Maryam Ciroma – Deputy National Chairman (North); H.E. Amb Taofeek Arapaja – Deputy National Chairman (South); Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola – Deputy National Chairman (South); Sen. Samuel Nnaemeka Anyanwu – National Secretary; Hon. Ahmed Yayari Mohammed – National Treasurer; Hon. Umar Bature – National Organizing Secretary; Daniel Woyegikuro – National Financial Secretary.

Others are: Prof. Stella Effah-Attoe – National Women’s Leader; Hon. Divine Amina Arong – National Women’s Leader; Muhammed Kakade Suleiman – National Youth Leader; Usman Elkudan – National Youth Leader; Kamaldeen Adeyemi Ajibade, SAN – National Legal Adviser; Hon. Debo Ologunagba – National Publicity Secretary; Okechukwu Obiechina Daniel – National Auditor; Ikechukwu Samben Nwosu – National Auditor; Hon. Mrs. Chibuogwu Benson- Oraelosi – National Auditor; Hon. Arch. Setoji Kosheodo – Deputy National Secretary; Hon. Akintan Oludaisi – Deputy National Secretary; Engr. Adedeji Doherty – Deputy National Secretary; Ndubuisi Eneh David – Deputy National Treasurer.

As well as: Alhaji Ibrahim Abdullahi Deputy – National Publicity Secretary; Sen. Chief Ighoyota – Deputy National Organising Secretary; Hon. Adamu O. U. Kamale – Deputy National Financial Secretary; Hajara Yakubu Wanka – Deputy National Women’s Leader; Timothy Osadolor – Deputy National Youth Leader; Barr. Okechukwu Osuoha – Deputy National Legal Adviser; and Hon. Abdulrahman Mohammed – Deputy National Auditor.

Earlier, the PDP screening sub-committee had disqualified three aspirants from vying for positions in the NWC.

Those disqualified were: Prof Wale Oladipo (Osun) who expressed interest in the position of Deputy National Chairman South, Okey Muo-Aroh (Anambra) who expressed interest in the position of National Secretary, and Dr Olafeso Eddy (Ondo) National Publicity Secretary.

It would be recalled that the Court of Appeal in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, Friday, cleared the PDP for its planned National Convention.

The court refused to grant a request by Uche Secondus, the embattled former national chairman of the PDP, who wanted the Convention stopped. The panel added he was targeting to re-contest the same office he was sacked from.

Reading the court’s decision on behalf of the panel, Justice Gabriel Kolawole recalled that the application, which he termed consequentially, was filled on October 14. The court took all arguments on the 28th after some amendments.

He recalled that Secondus, on two grounds, was seeking an Order of Injunction restraining the PDP from holding the Convention, pending the hearing and determination of his sacking.

The other was an order directing parties to the appeal to maintain Status Quo Ante Bellum before August 22, when he, as the National Chairman of the party, was removed, pending the hearing and determination of the appeal.

Kolawole noted that the court listened to the various counsels in the matter and reviewed issues raised by the parties, noting that there was no legal right in suspending the lower court’s decision.

He regretted that since August, the party decided on the Convention and set up committees to man the event that he (Secondus) did not take any step only to come a few days to the Convention to seek suspension.

On the rights issues, Kolawole said that there was no personal right that the court could protect the applicant because the office he occupied as the chairman of the party was public.

He lamented that Secondus had remained silent since he was sacked and his office taken without saying a word, adding that his late move was to take a shot at the National Convention.

Kolawole said granting the prayers would cause inconveniences, noting that greater justice would be done by refusing the application of the appellant to stop the Convention or annulling the lower court’s decision.

“The appellant (Secondus) motion fails and is dismissed. The sixth respondent (PDP) is empowered to hold its Convention without hindrances,” he read.