The ruling Peoples Democratic Party’s (PDP) National Executive Committee on Thursday retained its national chairman, Bamanga Tukur at its crucial meeting where several officials resigned and new ones emerged, with a vote of confidence passed on President Goodluck Jonathan.
Chibudom Nwuche, former deputy speaker, House of Representatives, replaces Sam Jaja, the party’s former deputy national chairman, while Tony Okereke replaces Olisa Metuh, former publicity secretary.
Kema Chikwe, former aviation minister and women leader for the party, is replaced by Oyibo Nwaneri; Remi Akintoye now national secretary; Hamisu Abubakar, national organising secretary; Simon Jok, legal adviser. The appointments are all in acting capacity.
The former executive members of the party announced their resignation shortly before they were excused from a closed-door session of the NEC on Thursday.
They were “elected” through a faulty process, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) said in a monitoring report in April.
Despite coming more than two months after the report’s release, the party insisted the resignations were in adherence of the electoral body’s directive.
Those affected are the deputy national chairman, acting national secretary, national woman leader, national treasurer, and national youth leader. All the eight deputies in the party also resigned their appointments as well as ex-officio members from the South West also resigned their appointments.
After stepping down, they were thanked by Senate President David Mark and Cross River State governor, Liyel Imoke.
A committee to pilot the affairs of the coming convention of the party was raised.
The convention committee is headed by former information minister, Jerry Gana, while Akwa Ibom State governor, Godswill Akpabio, will serve as the deputy. Deputy Senate President Ike Ekweremadu is the secretary.
Gana, who briefed newsmen after the meeting that lasted over an hour, said the party received and accepted the resignation of national officers affected by INEC report.
He explained that to avoid vacuum in the running of the affairs of the party, acting national officers and deputies were appointed to run the affairs of the party.
Gana, however, explained that a special national convention would be held on July 17, 2013 to formally re-elect the sacked officers.
He said all those who contested the election last year March 2012 would still re-contest during the mini-national convention while same delegates that voted during last year’s convention would vote.
Gana, who was named the chairman of the national planning committee, also announced that another mini-zonal convention in the South West on July 11, 2013 to elect candidates for the post of national secretary zoned to the zone.
