Tag Archives: Bayelsa Governorship poll: PDP activates structures to defend mandate -Metuh

Make yourselves available for national convention, Sheriff tells PDP stakeholders.

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Ali Modu Sheriff, national chairman of the crisis-ridden Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), has called on stakeholders to collaborate with him to facilitate a national unity convention.

For some time, stakeholders of the opposition party have been at loggerheads.

Ahmed Makarfi leads one arm of the party, while Sheriff, who leads the other faction, was recently affirmed the authentic chairman by an appeal court in Port Harcourt.

Recently, former President Goodluck Jonathan met with PDP governors in Abuja, and it was announced that stakeholders of the party  had agreed that a political solution should be embraced.

There were reports that Jonathan had asked Sheriff to step down for peace to reign, but Bernard Mikko, spokesperson of Sheriff’s faction, issued a statement of denial.

“The public, PDP members and the media are hereby informed that the issue of the national chairman’s resignation as the political solution has never been discussed nor was it put up for discussion with former president and other stakeholders,” it said.

“PDP members nationwide and the media are hereby informed that shortly before the Court of Appeal judgment of February 17, 2017; all parties and stakeholders agreed that on the receipt of the court of appeal judgment whichever way it goes; members will be prevailed upon and urged to support the judgment and orders of the court of appeal and rally round the successful party to conduct; as soon as possible a national unity convention for the election of officers; the modalities of which shall be worked out by all stakeholders of the party.

“As a law-abiding citizen and advocate of the rule of law, Sheriff hereby calls on all stakeholders including but not limited to PDP governors; national and state assembly members; Board of Trustees (BoT) members to make themselves available and give their input on how we can as quickly as possible conduct a national unity convention; where our national officers will be elected. The national chairman has promised and undertaken not to contest.”

 

Source: The Cable

Bayelsa Governorship poll: PDP Activates Structures To Defend Mandate -Metuh

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The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has activated its structures across the country to defend the party’s mandate in a democratic manner.

 

Chief Olisa Metuh, PDP National Publicity Secretary made the statement on Monday in Abuja while reacting to the cancellation and rescheduled governorship election in Southern Ijaw Local Government Area of Bayelsa.

 

The PDP he said, was “ready, willing and able to defend the choice of the people’’ during the rescheduled governorship poll in Southern Ijaw LGA.

 

“Never again will this leadership of the PDP allow our party candidates to be manipulated out of any election at any level.

In that regard, we have activated our structures across the country to defend our mandate with all means available in a democracy,’’ he said.

 

Metuh said that PDP was proud of the action and concerted efforts of its members and the people of Bayelsa in resisting rigging of the election.

 

He said that the action of members of the party led to the cancellation of the “fabricated elections’’ in Southern Ijaw Local Government Area.

 

He added that if not for the ‘bravery of Bayelsans’ to stand up for their votes, their will would have been completely subverted in the election.

 

INEC had earlier announced the cancellation of polling in Southern Ijaw Local Government Area in Saturday’s governorship election in Bayelsa.

 

Announcing the cancellation at a news conference in Yenagoa, Baritor Kpagih, the state Resident Electoral Commissioner, said the exercise was substantially marred by some irregularities and violence.

 

 

(NAN)