PDP Shelves NEC Meeting Again, Eyes Nov 28 Date

• To focus on Nov 16 Ondo guber poll

BY SEGUN ADEBAYO – For the umpteenth time, the Peoples Democratic Party ((PDP) has again postponed its planned National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting, originally scheduled to hold on Thursday, October 24

The new date, reached after about four hours of an extended meeting at the Bauchi State Governors’ Lodge, Tatari Ali House, Asokoro, Abuja on Tuesday, 22 October, is now 28 November 2024.

Addressing journalists at the end of the meeting, the Bauchi State Governor Bala Mohammed, said the decision was to enable the country’s main opposition party focus on strategising and mobilising successfully to prosecute the Ondo gubernatorial election slated for November 16.

Held at the instance of the party’s Governors’ Forum, under the leadership of Bauchi State Governor, the consultative meeting featured various party organs, including the PDP National Working Committee (NEC), the National Assembly leadership of the party caucus, and the Forum of former PDP governors.

The communiqué read in part; “Rising from the consultative meeting of the various organs of the Peoples Democratic Party, the party has resolved that the National Executive Committee meeting, originally slated for 24 October 2024, has been rescheduled to 28 November 2024.

“The postponement is to ensure that the party approaches the forthcoming Ondo gubernatorial elections on 16 November 2024 with the unity and strength required to unseat the struggling All Progressives Congress (APC) government in the state.

“Reiterating the need for unity in the face of efforts by detractors to divide the party, the meeting called on all members to shun divisive utterances that could undermine ongoing efforts to strengthen the party and effectively position it as the country’s main opposition in preparation for the 2027 elections.”

Reports had emerged earlier in the day that a PDP faction loyal to the Bauchi State Governor was ‘shopping’ for a court order to prevent the Party and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) from cancelling the planned NEC meeting.

The lawsuit, filed by a certain Imam Auwal at a Zamfara High Court in Gusau Judicial Division, also sought to overturn an earlier injunction from the Abuja Federal High Court that barred the PDP from removing Damagum from office.

But at Tuesday’s stakeholders meeting arranged to ease tensions within the party’s NWC, the PDP Governors’ Forum Chairman, Governor Bala Mohammed publicly acknowledged the Party’s leadership led by Acting National Chairman, Umar Damagum

Insider sources said only five of the party’s 13 governors were in attendance at the meeting, listing them as Bala Mohammed (Bauchi), Ademola Adeleke (Osun), Dauda Lawal (Zamfara), Siminalayi Fubara (Rivers), and Caleb Muftwang (Plateau).

The development followed an earlier announcement by the Olagunsoye Oyinlola-led Reconciliation Committee, which had successfully resolved internal disputes within the NWC, allowing the party to move forward in its nation-building efforts.

Addressing the expanded PDP Governors’ Forum meeting, Governor Mohammed said; “This is a PDP meeting, not a governors’ meeting. It is not a caucus meeting, but a meeting of PDP stakeholders with one agenda: to reconcile all differences.

“As you can see, we are all united today under the leadership of Umar Damagum, and we are here to discuss vital issues.”

Pointedly, he added that; “We will resist any attempt to turn Nigeria into a one-party state. We will use our experience since 1999 to provide Nigerians with a viable alternative platform.”