PDP Governors to meet with Jonathan over cancellation of endorsement

The state Governors in Nigeria elected under the umbrella of the PDP will today have a meeting with President Goodluck Jonathan to discuss and show how displeased they are over the nullification of their agreement to endorse their own candidate ahead of the 2015 general election by the National Working Committee, NWC. The said meeting is slated for 9 pm today at the Banquet Hall of the Presidential Villa in Abuja the Federal Capital Territory. 

PDP Governors With GEJ. Credit: DailyPostNG

Vanguard reports that the PDP governors will first meet with the National Chairman, Alhaji Adamu Muazu at 3pm, at his residence in Asokoro.

The agenda of the meeting is the proposed primary elections for aspirants of the party as well as to inform the National Chairman that they were displeased with the decision of the NWC to nullify their endorsements. Recall that the NWC nullified the endorsement of candidates ahead of the 2015 general election by governors, zonal and state leadership, thereby bringing about disagreements between the PDP state governors and the NWC. Report says the governors at the meeting will remind the president and Muazu of how they endorsed President Goodluck Jonathan as the sole presidential candidate of PDP ahead of the December 6 National Convention and the February, 2015 general elections, which the party’s National Caucus, Board of Trustees, BoT and the National Executive Committee, NEC thereafter agreed with and to be ratified at the party’s national convention. It was gathered that the governors will discuss the ongoing sale of forms, especially with regard to the governorship forms being obtained at the party’s National Secretariat.

Meanwhile, following the cancellation of endorsement, many aspirants have come to PDP National Secretariat to pick their expression and nomination forms, just as they are calling for open primaries and a level playing field for all aspirants.

On Thursday, the PDP National Secretary, Prof. Wale Oladipo signed a statement which cancelled endorsement of party members for an election:

“The National Working Committee (NWC) at its meeting today, Thursday, October 9, 2014 noted that some elected officers of our great party at the state level have continued to engage in processes aimed at endorsing candidates for the 2015 general elections despite warnings from the national leadership that they, as unbiased umpires should not be involved in such.

“The NWC strongly frowns at this development and issues this as a final warning to all elected party officials and chapters at all levels, and shall not hesitate to sanction such erring officers or chapters.

 “The sanctity of our nomination processes must be protected at all times. We therefore wish to assure all party members that there shall be a level playing ground for all aspirants intending to participate in the nomination processes.

Credit: DailyPost