PDP Convention: Okowa inspects Eagle Square venue, says many defectors will return soon

The Chairman, Special Non-Elective National Convention of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and Governor of Delta state, Senator Ifeanyi Okowa has disclosed that the party is set to welcome high profile Nigerians defecting from other parties.

Governor Okowa stated this on Thursday while inspecting the Eagles Square, venue for the Convention assuring that every necessary arrangements have been taken care of.

This is even as a mild drama unfolded at the PDP national secretariat yesterday when the committee set up to screen the seven governorship aspirants for Anambra election openly expressed displeasure about what he called acts of indiscipline by some of the aspirants.

The Chairman of the PDP screening panel and erstwhile committee Minister of Police Affairs, Mallam Adamu Maina Waziri said it was unfortunate that some of the aspirants did not show up at the venue of the screening 90 minutes after the scheduled time of 9.am.

Senator Okowa, who paid an inspection visit to the Eagle Square venue of Special Non-Elective National Convention billed for tomorrow assured that all necessary arrangements have been taken care of.
His words, “We just came to see what is on ground, I believe that our people will be safe because we have everything under control, we are not expecting any hitches at all.

“We are doing very well as a party and as a committee. in this kind of planning, you will have some challenges here and there but there are solutions being proffered for everyone of it and we are confident that we are on the right track and it shall be well on Saturday”

The chairman of the convention committee assured that high profile Nigerians will join the party within the next three weeks.

According to him, “This is a new PDP and with the excitement we saw after the supreme court victory, we did see amongst Nigerians and not only PDP followers, I believe that a lot of people who thought that the party was going to implode by itself, will realize that we are back alive and ready to offer what it takes to better the lives of Nigerians.

“Many of our members that left earlier due to one form of disagreement or the other will return back to their party because the National Caretaker Committee has has constituted a Reconciliation Committee as well as a Contact and Mobilization Committee to reach out to them.

“From the way things are going presently in this country, I believe Nigerians will realise that PDP is the only alternative that can bring Nigeria out of her present economic challenges”, he said.

Meanwhile, the National Chairman of the Party, Senator Ahmed Makarfi has assured members of the party that the issues relating to the South West zone of the party have been resolved.

According to Makarfi, “In politics there are always issues but what is important is that we sit down and resolve the issues in a civil manner.

“Yesterday we had a long meeting with the leaders from the zone to resolve the issues and no matter what you are doing as a political party you must lose some members and also gain others.

“As a party we will continue to work hard not to lose anybody, but will work much harder to bring in more members to the party” he said.

Also yesterday, a mild drama unfolded out at the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) national secretariat as the committee set up to screen the seven governorship aspirants in Anambra governorship election openly expressed displeasure about what he described as acts of indiscipline by some of the aspirants.

The election is scheduled to hold on November 18, this year.

The Chairman of the screening committee and former Minister of Police Affairs, Adamu Maina Waziri, said it was unfortunate that some of the aspirants did not show up at the venue of the screening 90 minutes after the scheduled time of 9.am.

As at the time Mallam Waziri spoke at the National Working Committee, NWC!, hall of the, Wadata building headquarters of the PDP, only Mr Ifeanyi Ubah and Mrs Stella Oduah had not arrived. They came shortly after.

Other aspirants who were screened yesterday included Prince John Okechukwu Emeka, Dr. Alex Obiogbolu, Honourable Linda Ikpeazu, Oseloka Obaze, and Akolisa Ufodike
Earlier, in his opening remarks before the commencement of the screening of the aspirants, Waziri urged them not to forget that the entire PDP family has everything to lose if Anambra is lost to a rival political party on November 18.

According to him, “Each one of us has everything to lose if we lose Anambra State”.
He promised that members of the screening committee would do its job fairly and justly.