Onyekachi Eze 
…Mohammed: I didn’t take party to court
The People’s Democratic Party (PDP) has again postponed its National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting earlier scheduled for October 24, citing the November 16 Ondo State governorship election.
According to the national leadership of the party, the meeting will now hold on November 28.
New Telegraph had earlier reported two weeks ago, that the meeting might be postponed after PDP governors intervened in the crisis within the National Working Committee (NWC).
It would be recalled that this is the second time the party is rescheduling the NEC meeting.
It was earlier scheduled to hold in August, but the National Secretary Senator Samuel Anyanwu, in a letter to NEC members, said the meeting was shifted to November 24, so as to allow for the conclusion of party congresses in some states.
The recent postponement was announced by the Chairman of the PDP Governors’ Forum Senator Bala Mohammed, after a meeting with the NWC, the Board of Trustees (BoT) and the National Assembly caucus on Tuesday.
Mohammed who is also Bauchi State governor, in a communiqué at the end of the meeting, said the party resolved to go to the Ondo election “with the unity and strength demanded to unseat the floundering All Progressive Congress, APC government in the state.”
He called on PDP members to shun divisive utterances that could undermine ongoing efforts at strengthening the party “to effectively play its role as the country’s main opposition, preparatory to taking over in 2027.
But beyond the reasons adduced, the postponement might not be unconnected to the agitation to effect leadership change, which many hoped would be the main agenda at the NEC meeting.
Already, there is a court order barring the PDP from removing Ambassador Umar Damagum as acting National Chairman.
The postponement might be to allow for further consultations, and possibly to vacate the court judgement.
Governor Mohammed however denied that he instituted a legal suit in Zamfara State, seeking an ex parte order to compel the convening of the NEC meeting.
He said in a statement by the Director General of the PDP Governors’ Forum Dr. Emmanuel Agbo, that he did not in any way, either by proxy or himself, have anything to do with the said suit.
“For emphasis, our teeming supporters and all Nigerians are urged to ignore the false claim that the Chairman of the Forum or any of its members instigated any legal proceedings in reference to the above,” the statement added, describing the publication as “dubious, malicious and intended to smear the character of Governor Bala Mohammed.”
