BARELY 24hours to the Elective National Convention of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, for the election of its new National Officers, several petitions against aspirants have flooded the National Secretariat of the Party in Abuja.
According to most of the petitions Sighted by newsmen yesterday written to the National Chairman of the Party, Senator Ahmed Makarfi and the Chairman National Convention Committee, Governor Ifeanyi Okowa, the petitioners demanded the outright disqualification of certain aspirants
The petitioners said that their demands became necessary to avoid a situation where the Operatives of the EFCC would start chasing elected officers of the Party shortly after the Convention.
Some of the Petitions also bothered on alleged falsification of delegates lists by some powerful members of the without due consultations with others
For an instance, a law firm, Papal Juris Mondial Attorneys petitioned the National Caretaker Committee seeking the disqualification of a candidate for the National Organizing Secretary, Col. Austin Akobundu for alleged misconduct.
In the petition dated December 5, 2017, and signed by Onyebuchi Nwosu Esq, the petitioners accused Akubodu of misconduct, misrepresentation and misappropriation of the party funds while he was National Vice Chairman, Southeast zone of the PDP from 2012 to 2014.
The petition added that Akobundu did not resign his position as vice chairman of the PDP in the zone when he was appointed as the Minister of State for Defence in 2014.
According to the petitioner, Akobundu action was a violation of the constitution of the PDP, which has rendered him unfit for contesting for the position of National Organising Secretary.
“There is first hand and highly classified information that the aforementioned candidate contesting for the position of the National Organizing Secretary of the party, had flouted the party’s constitution during his regime as the National Vice Chairman South East Zone”, the petition added.
In a related development, Key stakeholders in the Anambra State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, yesterday stormed the national secretariat of the party in Abuja, protesting what they called fake delegates” list compiled for the state.
The stakeholders, who accused a National officer of the party (name withheld ) of being the brain behind the action promptly rejected the list.
They specifically urged the national leadership of the PDP to be wary of the said fake list by rejecting it.
The stakeholders made their position known in a communique issued at the end of a meeting on Wednesday night in Abuja, which they submitted to the National Chairman of the party, Senator Ahmed Makarfi.
Signatories to the communique were; Chief Olisa Metuh, Chief Chris Ubah, Chief Okey Ezenwa, Hon Obinna Chiduke,
Hon Chris Azubogu, Hon Azodo Eucharia, Prince John Emeka, Engr Emeka Okeke zonal treasurer south-east, Agudosi Ngozika, state chairmanship aspirant, Hon Dr Harry Oyanzi, Senator Ugochukwu Uba and Hon Chukuka Onyema.
In another development, the National Convention Planning Committee has summoned crucial meetings with all the aspirants in the Convention and the Staes Chairmen of Party for today
The meeting scheduled for the National Secretariat of the Party in Abuja would start by 10: 00 am with the Chairmanship aspirants, to be followed by that of other aspirants while that of the State chairmen would come last
Meanwhile, the screening of all the aspirants for all the offices came to an end yesterday.
The Chairman of the Screening Committee, Pastor Ize Iyamu, however, promised that the outcome of the exercise would be made public this morning to allowed those not satisfied with the outcome to go on appeal.