Why we did not elect BOT chair – PDP

Ben Agande, Abuja.

The Peoples Democratic Party has explained that it deferred the election of its chairman of the Board of Trustees in order to align members of the board to ensure that whoever emerged would not only be credible but acceptable to the generality of its members.

Member of the board and Nigeria’s ambassador to Canada, Ojo Madueke who addressed state house correspondents at the end of its meeting Tuesday night explained that the board has set up a committee under the chairmanship of Professor Jerry Gana to carry out the alignment and report back to the board within three weeks.

Ojo Maduekwe

The board however re-elected the secretary of the Board, Senator Wali to continue in office.

Ambassador Maduekwe who was flanked by the former National Secretary of the board, Prof. Jerry Gana and the incumbent  Secretary, Senator Jibril Wali said there was no stalemate at the meeting as being insinuated.

According to Ojo Madueke, apart from the procedure for the election, the meeting did discuss any other issue pertaining the election or the aspirants.

“The meeting did not come close to election, nomination or endorsement of any aspirant. There was no deadlock and no gridlock,” he said.

Maduekwe however admitted that as a big party, minor disagreements based on interests could not be overruled.

He said while efforts were being made to resolve issues, including that of Adamawa State, members of the National Working Committee had been directed to stop media war.

Gana, on his part, admitted that the decision to set up the committee arose because some members were already challenging the legality of some people to vote.

He also faulted reports that some PDP governors were planning to unseat the party’s chairman, Bamanga Tukur, saying the governors were law abiding party members.

Tuesday’s meeting which was president over by President Goodluck Jonathan did not have the former chairman of its board, former President Olusegun Obasanjo who is believed to have fallen out with preside nt Goodluck Jonathan in attendance.

The meeting kicked off at 8.30p.m and lasted till 11:30pm.

Before yesterday’s meeting, it was widely expected that it would ratify the party’s choice of the chairman of the Board of trustees.

The position is being hotly contested by the former chairman of the Party, Ahmadu Ali, former Vice president Alex Ekwueme, former president of the senate, Ken Nnamani and others.