Akpabio: We’ll Seek Out-of-Court Settlement on Amaechi’s Suspension

 Governor Godswill Akpabio

PDP throws positions open for July convention

By Chuks Okocha                                        

The chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party’s Governors’ Forum and Akwa Ibom State Governor, Mr. Godswill Akpabio, has revealed that the governors of the party have commenced a process of ensuring an out-of-court reconciliation with Governor Chibuike Amaechi of Rivers State who was suspended for anti-activities.

It also emerged  Friday that all positions to be contested for at the PDP special convention fixed for July 20 will be thrown open to all members of the party, although, the party’s zoning formula will still be maintained.

Akpabio who spoke on the crisis rocking the party after its NEC meeting ended late Thursday said: "We are reconciling our governors; you will see this from the number of governors that attended the NEC meeting. Almost all the PDP governors were in attendance except those on official duty outside the country.

"Reconciliation among the governors is already ongoing. The governor of Sokoto State was at the NEC meeting. I remember that journalists asked me about Governor Amaechi and I said that the matter is subjudice. The Sokoto State governor did not go to court, but Governor Amaechi did. But we are exploring all means of out-of-court settlement."

Some other governors elected on the platform of the party and the Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu also spoke on the PDP crisis after the NEC meeting.

Ekweremadu explained why the just-concluded NEC meeting did not seek the removal of Bamanga Tukur as the national chairman: "You cannot ask the national chairman to resign because he was validly elected. You cannot ask a man whose election is in order to resign. Members of National Working Committee that resigned did so because their election was not in accordance with the party’s guidelines.

"We are committed to the rule of law; that explains why we asked members whose election INEC faulted to resign. By what happened, we shall ensure that at the July 20 special convention that everybody votes; even if it is only one candidate, there must be voting."

Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan of Delta State said the recent PDP NEC meeting had shown that the party was intact and united and able to manage its crisis.

Meanwhile, details of the July 20 special convention of the party shows that all positions to be contested for has been thrown open to all members including all the members of the sacked NWC. The zoning formula of the party will however, still be maintained for the voting.

These details were disclosed by the chairman of the Special National Convention Committee, Prof. Jerry Gana.

Ekweremadu, who is the Secretary of the committee, said the existing zoning arrangement of the party for the various positions would be maintained.

According to the guidelines obtained by THISDAY, it said: "The election of zonal officers shall recognize the principles of zoning and spread of party and public offices. Election of national officers shall recognize the principles of zoning and be conducted on the basis of existing zoning formula as amended by the National Executive Committee of the party."