Rivers: PDP picks new national chairman May 21

 … Silent on zoning arrangement for officers

From Taiwo Amodu, Abuja

THE Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) National Executive Committee (NEC) has finally fixed May 21, 2016 for its national convention.

The convention, to elect new set of national officers, will hold in Port Harcourt, Rivers State.

Addressing newsmen at the end of the meeting of its NEC meeting in Abuja yesterday, National Chairman, Senator Ali Modu- Sheriff, who read the communique to newsmen, disclosed that the organ of the party has approved the time-table for the party’s congresses and national  convention.

Senator Sheriff, who declined to entertain questions from newsmen, was silent on the zoning arrangement for national offices but further disclosed that a zoning committee would be put in place to outline the zoning arrangement.

Daily Sun investigation, however, showed that members of the party’s national committee, who were elected in March 2012, are expected to vacate their positions at the end of March.

But, the party’s NEC yesterday approved extension of their tenure to terminate at the end of the scheduled convention.

“NEC, after exhaustive deliberations, approved the extension of the tenure of office of all organs of the party at all levels until the conduct of congresses and national convention.

“This is however, with the exception of Edo and Ondo States,” Sheriff said.

The communique further condemned what it called harassment of party chieftains by the All Progressives Congress-led Federal Government and called on the international community to take note of what it called descent of Nigeria into totalitarianism.

Speaking earlier, Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu assured

Nigerians that the PDP will not allow the country degenerate into totalitarianism.

This, he noted, the party would do by providing a veritable opposition to the APC-led administration.

He gave the assurance yesterday while addressing leaders of the party at its 69th National Executive Committee meeting held in Abuja.

“We are going to ensure that the government of Nigeria does not degenerate into totalitarianism. We are going to protect the rights of Nigerian citizens and hold the government responsible for their promises to the people of Nigeria.”