PDP NWC in Crucial Meeting over NEC’s Directive to Replace Ayu on September 25

•Orders completion of congresses in Ogun, Abia, Kano, Benue, A’Ibom, silent on Rivers

Chuks Okocha in Abuja

Barring any further changes within the leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), the National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting of the party would hold on September 25 to consider a directive to properly replace its suspended former national chairman, Iyorchia Ayu.

This was contained in a circular by the National Organising Secretary of the party, Hon. Umar Bature.

According to the circular for the meeting, the holding of the PDP NEC meeting is as a result of the completion of all state congresses in the states where there are vacancies in the state executive Council.

By the circular, all appeals to the state congresses held last week were expected to hold today, September 5, 2024.

The National Working Committee (NWC) of the PDP would hold on September 12 to prepare for the holding of the NEC meeting

The first NEC meeting of the party took place on April 18 2024 and mandated the NWC to prepare grounds for a NEC meeting on August 18 to elect a replacement for Ayu, who officially withdrew his suit against the PDP on April 15.

But the entire arrangements changed due to the lesser hajj, which majority of the members attended.

Though the appeals to the congresses are expected to hold today, September 5, there are still complex situations over the congresses, especially in Rivers  and Benue States  as well as other states

In Rivers State, the status of the Congress is still on unknown as a court has stopped the holding of the congresses pending the resolution of the court case instituted against the Rivers State Congress.

At yesterday’s meeting of the NWC, the party ordered that the congresses in states like in Abia, Ebonyi, Benue, Ogun, Kano and Akwa Ibom State, where the congresses were successfully not completed should be revisited and completed.

THISDAY, however, gathered that at NWC meeting, Rivers was not mentioned, despite the directive by the PDP governors that the Rivers State governor, Siminalayi Fubara should have control of the state leadership of the party.

Though a state congress in Port Harcourt took place on Saturday, not withstanding the directive of a court order against the congress.

A High Court sitting in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, had restrained the PDP and the party’s NEC from gathering or holding any congress in the state.

The High Court in Port Harcourt had restrained their agents from gathering anywhere in the 319 wards of the 23 local government areas in the state.

Presiding Judge, Justice Charles Wali, in a judgement order, restrained the PDP National Chairman, Iliya Damagum and National Secretary, Samuel Anyanwu from holding the Congress.

Wali also gave an interim injunction restraining the party agents from gathering anywhere in Rivers to hold Ward, LGA, or state congress pending the hearing and determination of suit no: PHC/2400/CS/2024 before him.

Also a High Court sitting in Gboko, Benue State, had restrained the PDP from conducting the forthcoming congress scheduled for Saturday, August 10, 2024, in six local governments.

This was as concerned Benue PDP stakeholders, yesterday, commended the party for suspending the immediate past Governor of the state, Samuel Ortom, and three others from the party in the state

However, the restraining order was signed by Justice J. M. Ayua in a motion exparte brought before the court. The applicants in the suit were Senator Orker Jev, Terseer Tsumba, Aondoyina Grace,  Tergun Tsegba, and 13 others.