The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has barred its members facing trial at the court from standing for elective positions in the National Working Committee (NWC) of the party during its national convention which comes up on May 21, in Port Harcourt, Rivers State.
Some of the party’s chieftains currently standing trial in court include former Minister of Interior, Comrade Abba Moro, National Publicity Secretary, Chief Olisa Metuh, former governor of Jigawa State, Sule Lamido, former governor of Imo State Ikedi Ohakim, the chairman of Africa Independent Television (AIT), Chief Raymond Dokpesi and former acting chairman, Board of Trustees (BoT) of the party, Haliru Bello Mohammed among others.
There are others who have been accused of graft by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) but are yet to be taken to court.
A well-placed official of the party, who does not want his name in the print told Daily Trust, yesterday, that the party was looking for members of impeccable integrity to fill various offices as part of efforts to reposition the party for victory in 2019.
He said this position of the party, perhaps, informed the decision of the PDP national publicity secretary, Chief Olisa Metuh, to declare yesterday that he won’t contest for any position at the convention.
Metuh is facing trial over his alleged role in the $2.1bn arms scandal that exposed many people who served under various capacities during the time of former president Goodluck Jonathan.
The PDP image maker, in a statement he issued, yesterday, said as one of the founding members and longest serving member of the NEC, and currently a critical player in the party, his supporters and admirers expected him to contest, but he won’t as being speculated in the media.
The statement read in part: “I wish to state publicly that I have no ambitions to continue as a member of the National Working Committee after the expiration of my current tenure as the national publicity secretary, a decision that is enjoying the support of my family.
“I therefore with every sense of responsibility confirm to all members of our great party, that I will not run for any position whatsoever, in the forthcoming national convention, irrespective of which office may be zoned to the South-east for that matter.
“What is paramount in my mind, at this point, is to continue to lift the image of our great party during the remaining part of my tenure as the image maker of the PDP, a position which, by the grace of God, I have been able to dutifully deliver to the best of my ability, despite daunting challenges.”(AIT)
