Date: 2017-12-11

... Yinka Aluko emerges ex-officio

Immediate past Minister of National Planning, Professor Abubakar Suleiman and former Commissioner for Information in Kwara state, Comrade Ben Duntoye both lost out of their bid to become the National Publicity Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on Saturday.

Suleiman and Duntoye were among those seeking to head the office of the opposition party's mouthpiece which was zoned to the north central.

They lost the position of the Publicity Secretary of the party to Kola Ologbondiyan from Kogi state and former Thisday staff.

Uche Secondus emerged as the substantive chairman of the party after polling over two thousands votes.

Former gubernatorial running mate for the party during the 2015 election in the state, Yinka Aluko however emerged as an ex-officio member which is non elective.

Speaking on the issue with National Pilot last night from Abuja, the state chairman of the party, Iyiola Oyedepo said everybody cannot be accommodated in the national executive adding that it will not in any way limit the influence of the party at the national level.

According to him, it's unfortunate but the party will move on.

Some members of the state chapter of the party had decried the failure of the party to harmonise its position on the issue.

The PDP elected its National officers on Saturday at an elaborate ceremony held in eagle square, Abuja which attracted top officers of the party including former President Goodluck Jonathan.

The Full list

National Chairman - Prince Uche Secondus

National Deputy Chairman South - Elder Yemi Akinwonmi

National Deputy Chairman North - Sen. Gamawa Babawo Garba

National Secretary - Sen. Ibrahim Tsauri

Deputy National Secretary - Dr. Agbo Emmanuel

National Treasurer - Hon. Aribisala Adewale

Deputy National Treasurer – Alhaji Wada Masu

Financial Secretary - Ibrahim Husseini Maibasira

Dep. Fin. Sec. - Hon. Irona Alphonsus

Nat. Org. Sec. - Col (Rtr) Austin Akobundu

Dep. Nat. Org. Sec. – Barr. Hassan Yakubu

Publicity Secretary - Kola Ologbondiyan

Dep. Nat. Pub. Sec. - Hon. Diran Odeyemi

Nat. Legal Adviser - Barr. Emmanuel Enoidem

Dep. Nat. Legal Adviser - Barr. Ahmed Bello Liman

Nat. Auditor - Mal. Adamu Mustapha

Dep. Nat. Auditor - Miss Divine Amina Arong

Nat. Women Leader - Hajia Mariya Waziri

Dep. Nat. Women Leader - Umoru Adizet Hadizat

Nat. Youth Leader - Rt. Hon. Udeh Okoye

Dep. Nat. Youth Leader - Umar Babangida Maina

... PDP, APC trade words The ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) have continued to exchange words over the latter's national convention held in Abuja on Saturday.

The APC in a press statement by its Publicity Secretary, Bolaji Abdullahi after the convention, accused the opposition party of being a leopard that cannot change its spot and brazenly perpetrating systematic rigging and votes buying.

Both Abdullahi and Ologbodiyan were former staff of Thisday newspapers.

The APC said that "abnormalities that trailed the PDP National Convention have further exposed the PDP as a party not ready and willing to change.

"Indeed, the PDP has once again displayed itself to the generality of Nigerians that it is a party with corruption deeply rooted in its DNA.

"Again, it is tragic that the PDP which used to pride itself as "the biggest political Party in Africa" has now been reduced to a regional party.

"By frustrating South West chairmanship candidates, it is unfortunate that the PDP has decided to punish the South West for not voting for the Party in 2015.

We urge members of the PDP that can pass the integrity test to join the APC so that we can together bring about the much-needed Change the country deserves", he added.

But the PDP in its response said the ruling party is jittery and only clutching on straws' for survival having been outrightly rejected by Nigerians.

"It is indeed laughable that the APC which has roundly failed in not only managing the affairs of the country but also its own internal issues would recourse to panic mode just because the PDP has succeeded in uniting its fronts by conducting of a very credible elective National Convention.

"We were very much aware of the plots by the APC to scuttle the convention and failing it has resorted to a failed attempt to discredit an elective convention that has been adjudged as creditable, novel and laudable by political stakeholders and lovers of democracy across the nation.

"Is it not disgusting, reprehensible and embarrassing that the APC that has repeatedly failed to hold meetings, congresses and convention in the last three years and has flagrantly continued to violate its own constitution is questioning our party's rights to perform her legitimate and constitutional obligation?

"Which impunity could be higher than APC violating its constitution? It is strange that APC could be moralizing on the principles of social justice whereas its actions against Nigerians are a complete departure from the norms.

It is important for this spokesman of a failed party and his pack of incompetent members to reminisce on the needless pains and suffering they have inflicted on Nigerians rather than being jittery over the successful outcome of the PDP's elective national convention.