Division In PDP Over Venue For Presidential Primaries

The leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is divided on a venue for its party’s presidential primaries scheduled for October 6, 2018.

The different position of the party’s Board of Trustees (BoT) and the National Working Committee (NWC) was evident during the inauguration of the party’s National Convention Planning Committee on Monday.

Inaugurating the committee, PDP Deputy National Chairman (South), Yemi Akinwonmi, said that the party leaders had consulted widely on the venue and agreed for Port Harcourt, the capital of Rivers State.

He said: “On the issue of venue, the party set up a committee headed by Ambassador Ibrahim Kazaure and they went round the South-South Zone and South-East Zone before coming out with the choice of Port Harcourt for us.

“As in acceptance, the National Working Committee (NWC) has consulted widely with the PDP Governors forum, we have consulted widely with the BOT, caucus of the party and today it has been jointly accepted that we will converge on Port Harcourt, in no distance time for the National Convention.”

However, Walid Jibrin, Chairman of the BoT, said that the party had yet to make a final decision on the choice of venue for the convention.

“Even though the Deputy Chairman said the issue of venue had been concluded, I want to say that the issue of venue is still on and is not concluded.

“Because there are many suggestions on the issue of venue. We look at all suggestions and I assure you that the issue of venue will be resolved,” he said.

Speaking, secretary of the convention committee and Ebonyi Governor, Dave Umahi, said “I think the working committee and the BOT need to settle this.”

Chairman of the convention committee, Ifeanyi Okowa, also speaking on the matter said PDP was ready to host the convention in any state eventually agreed on.