Hard knots for PDP National Convention in Ibadan

Other strings of hard knots may have dogged the ongoing Peoples Democratic Party National Convention in Ibadan, Oyo State, has the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, has boycotted the gathering as required by the 1999 Constitution of Nigeria.

Meanwhile, 13 States delegates were absent from the PDP Convention.

In addition, three governors, Rivers State Siminalayi Fubara, Osun State Adeleke Jackson and Taraba State Agbu Kefas were also not in attendance.

Among the prominent PDP leaders and former office holders absent were:

H.E. Goodluck Jonathan

Arc. Namadi Sambo

Gen. Aliyu Mohammed Gusau (rtd.)

Dr. Abubakar Bukola Saraki

Senate Majority Leader Senator Abba Moro

Prince Uche Secondus

Alhaji Ahmed Adamu Mu’azu

Dr. Sule Lamido, CON

Dr. Bello Haliru Mohammed

H.E. Senator Henry Seriake Dickson

H.E. Ahmed Makarfi

H.E. Darius Ishaku

H.E. Gabriel Suswam

H.E. Sam Egwu

H.E. Ayodele Fayose

H.E. Achike Udenwa

H.E. Nyesom Wike

H.E. Col. Bala Mande (rtd.)

Amongst many others.

Also, two governors, Governor Umaru Fintiri of Adamawa State and Caleb Mufwang of Plateau State, have distanced themselves from the purported expulsion of the FCT Minister.

Fintiri, who is also the Chairman of the National Convention Organising Committee of the party, while addressing the delegates at the venue of the event in Ibadan, advised that the convention be discontinued, he said it is not within his power but leaves the delegates to decide.

Fintiri said “With the absence of INEC and the various litigations for and against this convention, it is not within my prerogative to continue with this exercise. I leave the convention delegates to decide.”

Also, Governor Caleb Manasseh Mutfwang of Plateau State dissociated himself from the expulsion of Nyesom Wike, Ayodele Fayose and others from the party. This was few minutes after Umaru Fintiri took the same position.

Muftwang said the expulsion of Wike and others was not discussed at their last Governor’s Forum and the action of the party was not a “strategic step toward in resolving the internal challenges currently confronting the PDP.”

He insisted on the need for a dialogue to resolve the party’s internal crisis.

About The Author

Dele Fashomi

Dele Fashomi, seasoned journalist and communication teacher, is a holder of Master of Arts degree in Communication and Language Arts from the University of Ibadan in 1992/93.

Earlier, he had bagged a Bachelor degree from the same university in 1984, after which he proceeded to the Nigerian Institute of Journalism, Lagos, in 1990, for a postgraduate diploma in Journalism.

He had done many courses in communication, including the EU-BBC Editing Course in 2002.

Mr. Fashomi combines effectively the practice, research and teaching of communication. And to date, he has published two academic works in communication: Issues in Communication Technology and Policy (2010) and Economic and Social Issues in Advertising and PR (2013).

He had his first break in the Nigerian media in Concord Newspapers in 1990 and today, he has over two and half decades experience earned in several newspapers.

He has been part of many start-ups, such as The Republic (1987), The Comet (1999), The Anchor 2001 – 2002; Sun Newspapers (2003); Westerner newsmagazine (2005 – 2010) as Editor; National Life (2011) as Sunday Editor, and Newswatch Newspapers (2012- 2016) as Daily Editor.

Dele Fashomi is now the Publisher/Editor-in-Chief of Newstide247.com newspaper online, which he started in July 2015. He is also into biography writing, with many books in his trail, some of which he wrote alone and one he co- authored with his mentor, Mr Dare Babarinsa, entitled:  Olabiyi Durojaiye – DARE TO BE DiFFERENT. He also guided and collaborated with Pa Olatunji Odusanya in writing his autobiography – AGAINST ALL ODDS. There are many other books in the works under his pen.

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