The implementation of the timetable and schedule of activities of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) that would culminate in an elective national convention from November 15 to 16 in the Oyo State capital, Ibadan, is being threatened over the choice of national officers, it was gathered at the weekend.

A copy of the programme obtained by the Nigerian Tribune showed that the 14-schedule of activities commenced on August 24 with the deliberation on issues for the 102nd National Executive Committee meeting on August 25 on the agenda and other matters, while all the activities are expected to be concluded on December 1 with the inauguration of a new NEC of the PDP.

However, only four of the items on the list, which include the Caucus meeting and Board of Trustees (BoT) meeting on August 24, as well as the 102nd NEC meeting and Zonal Executive Committee meetings to deliberate on national offices, have been fully implemented due to a discreet battle by governors, elders, and other power brokers for the soul of the PDP.

Intense power play is reportedly delaying the implementation of the issue of national offices, which is the sixth item on the list.

Whereas all matters concerning the item ought to have commenced on September 3, there is a cloud of uncertainty on the sale of nomination forms and expression of interest by prospective candidates for national offices, as the power brokers are said to be hoarding the forms.

While the collection of the forms is expected to end on September 3, the deadline for the submission of the forms by aspirants to the Directorate of Organization/Mobilization is September 26, for processing and onward transmission to the screening committee on September 26.

Findings indicated that the sale of the forms to prospective contestants was delayed due to moves by some influential party leaders to determine who gets elected as national officers or attempts at producing consensus candidates.

The intrigues surrounding the race for the national offices persist in spite of the harmonization of positions carried out by the zonal committees on elective offices ceded to each of the six geopolitical zones.

For instance, PDP national vice chairmen from the South-South, South-East, and South-West forwarded the resolution of the region on their harmonized position to the national chairman in a memo dated September 1.

Under the agreement, the post of deputy national chairman (South), national publicity secretary, deputy national treasurer, and deputy national legal adviser should go to the South-South, while the positions of national financial secretary, deputy national secretary, national women leader, and deputy national youth leader were ceded to the South-East.

According to the resolution of PDP national vice chairmen from the South, the South-West is to fill the offices of national secretary, national auditor, and deputy national organizing secretary.

The zone is micro-zoned into three: Lagos/Ogun State, Oyo/Osun, and Ekiti, with Lagos State occupying the position of deputy national secretary in the current dispensation.

Sources said the micro-zone is being considered for the position of national auditor to be ratified by delegates at the forthcoming PDP convention.

The screening of candidates is fixed for September 30, while the issuance of provisional clearance certificates to cleared aspirants by the screening committee is October 3.

The exercise, the PDP document showed, will be followed by appeals on the screening of aspirants on October 6, after which there will be the publication of the final list of cleared aspirants on October 10. (Nigerian Tribune)

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