Southern Leaders Meet In Port Harcourt Today Over Zoning Formula

 

Ahead of the August 17 national convention of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), chieftains of the party from the southern region will meet today in Port Harcourt, Rivers State to zone offices allotted to the region.

It was gathered that the meeting is already sparking concerns as some party members have kicked against zoning the chairmanship position to a state, insisting instead for the position to be opened to all contestants.

It will be recalled that the national caretaker committee, led by Sen Ahmed Makarfi, had zoned the PDP chairmanship to the South alongside nine other party offices.

Reacting however, a chieftain of the party, Chief Chidi Okolo has warned against zoning the chairmanship position to any particular zone in the south.

He said that since the party is being rebranded along the line of returning power to the people, delegates to the forth coming National Convention should be allowed to vote for a candidate of their choice.

According to Chief Okolo, the party will be heading for a more severe crisis if the national chairman is zoned to a chosen zone in the south.

On the current leadership crisis in the party, he said that it can still be resolved before the 17th August 2016 and called on  committed leaders of the party to rise up  to resolve the issues as soon as possible.

Okolo commended the governors of  Bayelsa and Ondo states for their untiring efforts aimed at resolving the crisis.

He hinted that there are many short comings that can be used to foment more crises in the party if left unchecked.

Chief Okolo who is also a member of board of trustees, called for an urgent peace meeting

between Senator Modu Sheriff and Senator Ahmed Makarfi led –Caretaker Committee to put their differences aside in the interest of the party.

He assured members of the party all over the world that the national convention of the party will be hitch- free.

Positions zoned to Southern Zone are, National Chairman; Deputy National Chairman 1; National Treasurer; National Legal  Adviser; National Youth Leader; National Organizing Secretary; Deputy National Publicity Secretary; Deputy National Woman Leader; Deputy National Auditor; Deputy National Financial Secretary.