The reason why Obasanjo shun PDP convention - Revealed

The reason why Obasanjo shun PDP convention - Revealed

Former President Olusegun Obasanjo and the Governor of Ebonyi State, Chief Martin Elechi, were conspicuously absent at the Peoples Democratic Party national convention in Abuja on Wednesday.

Obasanjo, a former chairman of the Board of Trustees of the party, just released some books, in which he alleged that President Goodluck Jonathan was not competent to lead the nation.

One of the reasons for the convention was to ratify the nomination of the President as the presidential candidate of the ruling party for the 2015 elections.

It was also aimed at ratifying the selection of three national officers of the party.

The three national officers of the party, whose election needed to be ratified are Adamu Mu’azu for the national chairmanship, Prof. Wale Oladipo, national secretary and Adewale Adeyenju as national treasurer.

Our correspondent gathered that the absence of the former President was because of his believe that President Jonathan did not deserve a second term.

In one of his just-released books, Obasanjo said that President Jonathan “is lacking in broad vision, knowledge, confidence, understanding, concentration, capacity, sense of security, courage, moral and ethical principles, character and passion to move the nation forward on a fast trajectory.”

Elechi on the other hand, was said to be angry with the national leadership of the party for colluding with the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Anyim Pius Anyim and a former Governor of the state, Dr. Sam Egwu, to deny him the opportunity of chosen his successor.

Anyim, Egwu with the connivance of Mu’azu, had succeeded in making Dave Umahi, the deputy governor, as the PDP governorship candidate in 2015.

Elechi, however, wanted a former Minister of Health, Prof. Onyebuchi Chukwu, as his successor.

It was learnt that Anyim and other political enemies of the governor informed the President of their plot before they executed it.

Unconfirmed reports said that the governor was already discussing with the national leadership of the opposition party, the All Progressives Congress on terms for his possible defection.

Meanwhile, the special national convention has ratified Mu’azu as substantive chairman of the party.

The positions also ratified were that of the national secretary, being occupied by Oladipo and National Auditor, which is being occupied by Adeyanju.

With this ratification, the three national officers were fully joining other members of the National Working Committee, whose elections were held two years ago.

Delegates voted “Yes” or “No” for the ratification of the vacant NWC officers.

All the delegates, including President Jonathan voted at the ballot box for their states.

The party said there were 3,037 delegates accredited for the excise from the 36 states of the country, including Abuja.

President Goodluck Jonathan who is one of the delegates to the convention, arrived Eagle Square, the venue of the event at about 3.45 p.m.

Among those at the event were the Vice President, Namadi Sambo; President of the Senate, David Mark; Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu; and Chairman PDP Board of Trustees, Chief Tony Anenih.

The Chairman of the National Convention Planning Committee, Dr. Bello Mohammed, in his welcome address intimated delegates on the purpose of the convention.

Mohammed, a former Minister of Defence, enjoined the delegates to be orderly, disclosing that the nomination of the presidential candidate would begin immediately the ratification of the vacancies in the NWC.

The Deputy Chairman, Convention Planning Committee, Ken Nnamani, had earlier told the delegates that section 133 of the 1999 Constitution described the procedure of casting ballot even when only one candidate is standing for an election.

Nnamani, who was a former President of the Senate, noted that three vacancies would be filled in the NWC while only one aspirant was seeking for nomination as the party’s presidential candidate.

“Two people bought presidential nomination forms but they realised the need to give the President a chance, and also not to divide the party, they willingly, voluntarily decided to support a single candidate,” Nnamani added.

Meanwhile as at the time of filling this report, voting for the constitutional amendment and the voting for the election of Jonathan in line with constitutional provisions, were yet to start.