The Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, may on Saturday hold two separate National Conventions.
While the faction loyal to the National Chairman, Senator Ali Modu Sheriff, will be holding its convention in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, another faction, headed by a former Minister of Information, Prof. Jerry Gana, will hold its own in Abuja.
The pro-Sheriff convention is backed by the party’s governors, its National Assembly caucus and a faction of the Board of Trustees led by Senator Walid Jibrin.
The Gana group, under the aegis of Concerned PDP Stakeholders, inaugurated its 56-members steering committee to conduct its convention and pilot the affairs of the party afterwards.
Members of the group include Prof. Tunde Adeniran, Hajia Inna Ciroma, Ambassador Wilberforce Juta, Alhaji Ibrahim Bunu, Alhaji Adamu Maina Waziri, Senator Bala Mohammed, Taminu Turaki, Dr. Doyin Okupe and Remi Adiukwu.
Also in the group are Josephine Anenih, Chief Ojo Maduekwe, Prof. ABC Nwosu, Senator Ben Obi, John Odey, Prof. Sam Oyovbaire, Senator Florence Ita-Giwa, Alhaji Shittu Mohammed Kabiru, Senator Grace Bent and Senator Anietie Okon.
A group of former PDP governors, also named as members, are Chief Lucky Igbinedion, Bonnie Haruna, Alhaji Ibrahim Shema, Donald Duke, Alhaji Attahiru Bafarawa, Alhaji Mahmood Shinkafi, Alhaji Abdulkadir Kure, Senator Ahmed Makarfi, Chief Achike Udenwa, Dr. Babangida Aliyu, Otunba Gbenga Daniel and a former PDP National Chairman, Dr. Okwesilieze Nwodo.
At a meeting of the party’s National Executive Committee, Walid said he met with the Gana group urging them to drop plans for a parallel convention.
“I pleaded with them to refrain from actions capable of destroying the unity and progress of the party,” he told The Nation.
“I made it clear to them that I will not be attending meetings other than the ones called by the organs of the party.
“As a matter of fact, I made it clear to them that I will be leading the BoT members to the Port Harcourt convention”, he added.
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