PDP National Convention to be held at Port Harcourt

The National Executive Committee of the Peoples Democratic party on Friday resolved the lingering crisis over the choice of venue for its national convention.

The NEC meeting, which was held on the national headquarters of the party, agreed to keep the convention at Port Harcourt, Rivers state.

The presidential candidate of the party for the 2019 election is anticipated to emerge on the conference.

The conference will now hold in the state between October 6 and 7.

It was accrued that the Governor of Rivers state, Mr. Nyesom Wike, however apologised to the assembly over his outbursts and threat over the move by some people to ensure that the convention was taken out of the state.

The NEC meeting, which was presided over by the national Chairman of the party, Prince Uche Secondus, was also attended by a few presidential aspirants together with former vice president Atiku Abubakar; a former Governor of Kaduna state, Senator Ahmed Makarfi;  President of the Senate, Bukola Saraki, and a former Minister of special duties, Kabiru Tanimu Turaki (SAN ).

Additionally on the meeting were a former member of the Senate, Datti Baba-Ahmed and the Governor of Sokoto state, Aminu Tambuwal.

Other than the issue of venue, it was accrued that the budget for the convention and number of delegates were additionally ratified.

The national publicity Secretary of the party, Mr. Kola Ologbondiyan, who briefed journalists after the meeting, stated that all the presidential aspirants had agreed to be at Port Harcourt for the convention.

He additionally said that the aspirants have been given assurance of a level-playing field by the party.

He said, “All our presidential aspirants were assured of a level-playing field, and that they were told that none of them could be accorded any form of preferential treatment.”

He added, “The NEC additionally accepted the budget for the 2018 national conference so that it will hold in Port Harcourt, Rivers state.

“NEC in addition resolved that we will be committing all our presidential aspirants to a bond on the outcome of the election.

“What this translates into is that all our aspirants will sign  an agreement with our party in order to make sure that the outcome of the national convention which the party has promised to be transparent, free, honest and acceptable to Nigerians,  must be accepted by all our aspirants.

“The aspirants had been assured of a transparent process at the national conference. The aspirants collectively assured the party also that their fears over the Port Harcourt conference has been allayed by the party.”

On why the party caved in to Wike’s threat, Ologbondiyan stated the party resolved the issue, using its internal conflict resolution mechanisms.

Wike had, earlier in the week, threatened to deal with the PDP should it bow to pressure to move the conference away from his state.

A party official, who spoke with our correspondent on condition of anonymity, stated that Wike apologised for his outbursts and pleaded with party leaders to gloss over the threats.