The planned extension of Ali-Modu Sheriff’s appointment as National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, has been kicked against by a faction of the party led by former Minister of Information, Prof Jerry Gana.
Gana, also a founding member of the party, led a group called the Concerned Stakeholders’ to a meeting on Thursday in Abuja at the Nicon Luxury Hotel to vehemently refuse the extension.
The meeting, which was co-chaired by Tunde Adeniran, Raymond Dokpesi and Ibrahim Mantu, said they will not accept extending the former Borno State governor’s tenure beyond May 21, 2016.
The group disclosed in a communiqué that, “The purported extension of the tenure of the Chairman and other members of the national working committee by the Party by the NEC was an illegality and therefore untenable and contrary to the provisions of our party Constitution which gives such powers ONLY to the National Convention of the Party. All actions purportedly taken by the said NEC and the National Working Committee, including the Ward, Local Government, State Congresses and the planned National Convention of the Party slated for the 21st of May 2016 in Port Harcourt, Rivers State constitute a nullity and are of no effect.”
They also rejected the zoning arrangement proposed by the chairman of the Zoning committee and Governor of Akwa ibom, Emmanuel Udom.
“Deriving from all the above and in order to stop further slide into unconstitutional confusion and widespread disenchantment of party members nationwide, We the founding fathers, stakeholders and leaders of the party from all the 6 Geopolitical zones hereby announce a 21 member steering committee to manage the affairs of the PDP, and work intimately with our respected members of BOT who are the conscience of the party till such a time that a proper, lawfully organized National Convention of the party, where a new authentic leadership of the party will be duly elected in accordance to the provisions of our party constitution and guidelines,” they said.
The group called on Governors, Senators, House of Representatives and State Houses of Assembly members, elected on the platform of PDP to support their stance.
