By Emmanuel Oloniruha

The National Executive Committee of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has fixed the party’s elective national convention to elect new national officers for Nov. 15 and Nov. 16 in Ibadan.

The NEC disclosed this in a communique issued after its 101st meeting on Thursday in Abuja.

The party’s National Publicity Secretary, Debo Ologunagba, who read the communique, said that the PDP national chairman and national secretary had been directed to formally notify the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) of the national convention.

“Accordingly, NEC approved the membership composition of the National Convention Committee as well as the membership composition of the National Convention Zoning Committee to ensure a successful, transparent and credible elective national convention,” he said.

Ologunagba further stated that NEC also directed the National Working Committee (NWC) to take immediate legal action to recover the seats of all serving members of the National and State Assemblies elected on the party’s platform but who had defected to another political party.

“By virtue of the self-executory provisions of Sections 68(1)(g) and 109(1)(g) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended), such defectors have irredeemably lost their seats, there being no division or merger with regard to the PDP.

“The NEC expresses serious concern and frowns at the reported participation and involvement of some party members in the activities, meetings and gatherings of another political party.

“The NEC calls on these members to reconsider their actions and show loyalty and commitment as members of the PDP, especially as the law does not permit membership of two political parties at the same time.

“The NEC reassures such members of the successes recorded so far towards addressing their concerns on issues relating to our Party,” he said.

Ologunagba added that the NEC re-assured party members and Nigerians that PDP remained a strong, united and focused political party, repositioned to effectively play its leading opposition role in galvanising all efforts toward rescuing power from the All Progressives Congress (APC) in 2027.

He also disclosed that the NEC’s 102nd meeting had been fixed for Aug. 25. (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

Edited by ‘Wale Sadeeq