PDP BOT Chairman to emerge in January – Scribe

Abuja – The Chairman of the PDP’s Board of Trustees (BOT) would be elected on Jan. 8, 2013, Sen. Walid Jibrin, the Secretary of the BOT, said.

Jibrin made this known to State House correspondents after a meeting of the BOT members at the Banquet Hall of the Presidential Villa, Abuja, on Friday night.

He said that contrary to reports that the election would hold on Friday night; the meeting only discussed the modalities that would be adopted for the election of the chairman and secretary of the board.

Jibrin said that the party was not in a hurry to elect a new BOT chairman.

“The board of trustees held emergency meeting to discuss the chairmanship of the board.

“We came to discuss the modalities that will lead to electing the new chairman. The election will be a pride to Nigerians.

“The issue of the new chairman of the BOT will come up on Jan. 8 next year but before then, we must have intent from members.

“Up till the time we held the meeting, there was no intent from anybody to contest. The discussion was held on the best way to elect the chairman.

“We are not in a hurry to elect a new chairman; we want a chairman that is sound, accepted, credible and with proven integrity; a chairman who has a clear vision for the party’s mission.

“However, anyone interested should submit his intent to the secretary of the party.’’

Jibrin, nonetheless, stressed that contenders for the position must come from members of the BOT, adding that the aspirants had only one week to submit their intent.

He said that the restriction placed on party members who were eligible to contest was in accordance with the Section 9 of the PDP Constitution, which states that chairman and secretary of the party’s BOT should be elected from members of the BOT.

The former President Olusegun Obasanjo stepped down from the chairmanship of the BOT about eight months ago.

Some dignitaries at the BOT meeting are PDP Chairman Bamanga Tukur, Senate President David Mark and former Vice-President Alex Ekwueme.

Others include PDP National Secretary Olagunsoye Oyinlola and Sen. Anyim Pius Anyim, the Secretary to the Government of the Federation,.

The meeting was also attended by a former PDP chairman, Dr Haliru Bello, former Gov. Adamu Abdullahi of Nasarawa State, Sen.  Jim Nwobodo, Alhaji Ghali Na’Abba, Chief Barnabas Gemade and Chief Bode George.

Mrs Mariam Amodu-Ali, Prince Vincent Ogboulafor, Chief Sunny Odogwu, Dr Kema Chikwe, Sen. Ibrahim Mantu, Sen. Bode Olajumoke, Alhaji Maina Waziri, Chief Don Etiebet, Chief Ebenezer Babatope and Sen.  Danjuma Goje also attended the meeting. (NAN)