October 31 date for national convention sacrosanct – PDP

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) said on Monday said the October 30 and October 31 dates for its national convention remained sacrosanct.

The party’s National Publicity Secretary, Kola Ologbondiyan, who disclosed this to journalists at a media briefing in Abuja, said arraignments for the convention were ongoing.

He also dismissed reports of misunderstanding between the party’s National Working Committee (NWC) and the convention committees, saying there was no issue as far as the convention was concerned.

The spokesman said: “As far as the party is concerned, the date for the convention remains October 30 to October 31.

“As we speak, we read reports in so many media space that there are issues.

 

“The reports say that only three governors are working, that national convention committees are not meeting and the National Working Committee (NWC) members are not in their offices.

“That is totally and absolutely incorrect, and some of your colleagues went upstairs into the NWC Hall, to meet with members of the NWC, who are taking their respective seats and are deliberating on the success of the forthcoming national convention.

“So, I want to bring to the attention of my dear colleagues that the national convention organizing committee’s leadership is in town.

“These are the Chairman, Governor Ahmadu Fintiri of Adamawa State; the Deputy Chairman, Governor Diri Duoye of Bayelsa State; as well as Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State who is the Secretary of the committee.

 

“The three of them are in Abuja to oversee the convention process, while all the respective subcommittees are working.

“I am briefing you now because I am the Secretary of the publicity subcommittee.

“So, all the committees are working. We have about 15 sub-committees for the purpose of the convention, and they are all working.

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“The leadership of the convention committee as well was in town, and working as well.”

He reassured that the venues for the convention and the accreditation of delegates had been secured.

Ologbondiyan added: “So, in truth, the convention plans are on the way, and there are no issues as far as the national convention is concerned as we speak.

 

On court case instituted against the party over the convention in Kaduna State, he said there was no judgment in that regard, and the PDP could not work on speculation.

“We do not have a judgment before the party. You cannot be talking about court issues, it is only when there is a judgment before the court that we will begin to talk about court issues, as far as the party’s concerned.

“All the plans have been set out for the national convention,” he concluded.

The PDP National Chairman, Prince Uche Secondus, on Friday, threatened to halt the convention.

In a letter addressed to the party by his lawyers, Secondus insisted that the appeal he filed against his suspension was still pending in court.

He warned the party against going ahead with the convention.

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