PDP leaders threaten parallel convention

 

OME Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) chieftains will in Abuja today, protest Senator Ali Modu Sheriff’s chairmanship bid.

The chieftains, who are from the Northcentral, Notheast, Southwest and Southeast, are expected to take a position on the zoning crisis that has polarised the party in the last one month

Sources said the meeting will be attended by former Niger State Governor Babangida Aliyu, former Information Minister Prof. Jerry Gana, former National Secretary and Transport Minister, Chief Ojo Maduekwe, and former National Deputy Chairman, Chief Olabode George.

The leaders have criticised Sheriff for proposing a meeting of the National Executive Committee (NEC) for Gombe State, contrary to the tradition in the party that the NEC meeting should hold in Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

A party source said: “Concerned party leaders from the six zones are disturbed by the new zoning arrangement foisted in the PDP because of the ambition of the acting chairman. PDP leaders from the North want the zoning of President to the North. But, we are also careful. The zoning of the chairman to the North may be interpreted as an attempt to marginalise the South.“That is what will be discussed by these stakeholders in Abuja. The consensus of opinion among the party elders, especially the founding members of the PDP, is that Senator Modu Sheriff cannot give the party a new leadership and a new direction at this trying time. If he insists, there may be a bigger crisis. If he says he will contest the chairman at the convention, there may be a parallel convention.”