Our convention duly approved by NEC – PDP

From Ndubuisi Orji, Abuja

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has said the date and venue for its national convention had been approved by its National Executive Committee (NEC) in accordance with its constitution.

National Publicity Secretary, Debo Ologunagba, stated this yesterday in response to claims by the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, that the party’s NEC was yet to meet to decide on the convention.

Ologunagba noted that the NEC and other meetings of the PDP organs were duly convened and members, including Wike were duly notified, prior to the 101st meeting of the party organ, where the decision to hold the national convention in Ibadan on November 15 and 16 was reached.

The FCT minister, while featuring in a television programme on Tuesday, said nobody invited him for a NEC meeting to decide on the convention date and promised that his group would challenge any injustice.

According to him, “As far as I am concerned, if no notice of meeting has been served as a member of NEC, I have every right to challenge it and nobody can deny me my right. Our group is meeting tomorrow (yesterday) obviously. I don’t think we will allow injustice to prevail. Impunity will not. I can tell you that. We will not allow that.”

However, Ologunagba noted that the party was focused on its national convention and would not join issues with anyone. He insisted that the party would continue to abide by its constitution and not hesitate to impose sanctions against anyone that goes against the constitution.

“Our NEC and other meetings have been convened properly. We follow due process. INEC has been informed duly as expected of the meetings of NEC relating to those issues. And in any event, I do not intend to join issues with anybody on this matter.

“We follow through the constitution. Our preparation is going on. The NEC, which is the second highest decision-making body of this party, has fixed the venue for the national convention in  Ibadan, Oyo State, on November 15 and 16. That national convention will be held on November 15 and 16.

“Like I referenced earlier, the train moving towards the national convention has moved and it is arriving at its destination, because right now, all arrangements and all committees are working seamlessly towards a successful national convention at Ibadan.”

He added: “In any event, we have documents showing that every relevant person, including Wike, was invited, and evidence showed that he actually received a letter duly acknowledged and signed from his office. If there are challenges within his office, we cannot be held accountable for that. In addition to that personalised letter, there was a publication in the national dailies.

“So, there was adequate notice. Members have approved it, NEC approved it, all organs have approved it, and we are fine. We are coasting home to the national convention in Ibadan.

“I know that this party has done everything that is within the law, following the constitution, and we will continue to follow the constitution. If there are actions inconsistent with that constitution, the necessary actions will kick in. We have said that before and we mean every word, we have said as a party.

“A  party is a voluntary thing; there is free entry and free exit. When you choose to leave, you can leave, but it will be irreconcilable for you or any member to stay within a party that has rules and not follow those rules. So, for us, we are not joining issues with anybody. We are not going to be raising issues with anybody.

“We are focused on our process to have a seamless national convention, and we will do that because this is the hope of democracy in this country. But we have said it, and we’ll say it again: there will be zero tolerance for disloyalty in our great party.”