BY HENRY UMORU
ABUJA—AHEAD of the National Convention of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, slated for February 25, 2012, guidelines for its conduct and congresses show that the party has adopted open ballot system,  to elect its National Chairman and other members of National Working Committee, NWC, as against the former secret ballot method.

PDP said any officer who presently occupies any executive office at any level of the party and wants to re-contest same office, need not resign, but must comply with article 14(1) of the party’s constitution which states that, “all national, zonal, state, local government area and ward officers of the party, shall hold office for a term of four years and shall be eligible for re-election at the National Congress for a further term of four years and no more.’’

According to the guidelines for conduct of ward, local government, state, zonal congresses and National Convention for electing party Executive Committees, the PDP said, “not withstanding, a waiver may be granted by appropriate executive committee and where appropriate committee rules, it must be approved by  an higher executive committee.’’

The 33-page document which was signed by both the Acting National Chairman, Alhaji Abubakar Kawu Baraje and the Acting National Secretary, Dr. Musa Babayo made available to Vanguard yesterday, also indicate that the open ballot system would be used for the ward congresses, local government, state and zonal congresses.

“At the ward and local government area levels, voting shall be by queuing behind the candidates of their choice. At the state, zonal and national levels, voting shall be by open secret ballot.’’

According to the guidelines, the party has also approved nomination fee of N500,000.00 for both the National Chairmanship position and  National Secretary, while other positions in the National Working Committee, NWC is N300,000 for each aspirant, just as those for the zonal vice chairmanship position is N100,000, zonal secretary aspirant to pay N30,000 while other positions would attract N15,000 each.

Other breakdown shows that for the State Chairmanship position, an aspirant is expected to pay as nomination fee, the sum of N50,000, Deputy N30,000, Vice Chairman, N20,000 State Secretary, N30,000 while other positions are pegged for N15,000 each.

For the Ward Chairman, the document indicates that aspirants will pay N1,000, Deputy Chairman, N500, Ward Secretary, N500 while others will be N200 each, even as for the Local government Chairmanship position, as aspirant would purchase the nomination form for N10,000, Deputy Chairman , N5,000; Secretary N5,000 and others will be N2,000.

The guidelines also indicate that for the Ward Congresses, there shall be ad hoc delegates that shall form three delegates to delegates to the Local Government Area Congress, at least one of whom shall be a woman and three delegates to the State Congress and one shall be a woman.

The document read in part, ‘’Election shall be by open ballot system and all registered card carrying members of the wards shall vote by queuing behind the candidates of their choice and any candidate with the highest number of votes shall be declared duly elected. The chairman of the Ward Congress Committee shall be the Ward Returning Officer and in the event of a tie, a run-off election shall be immediately conducted between the candidates with the same number of votes.’’

Those to be elected at the National Convention according to the document are the National Chairman, Deputy National Chairman;  the National Secretary, the Deputy National Secretary, the National Treasurer; the Deputy National Treasurer; the National Financial Secretary; the Deputy National Financial Secretary; the National Organising Secretary; the Deputy National Organising Secretary; the National Publicity Secretary; the Deputy National Organising Secretary; the National Legal Adviser; the National Auditor; the Deputy National Auditor; the National Woman Leader, the Deputy National Woman Leader; the National Youth Leader and the Deputy National Youth Leader.

‘’Mode of election shall be Open Secret Ballot, in the event of a tie, a run-off election shall be immediately conducted between the candidates with the same number of votes.

‘’Election of National Officers shall recognize the principle of zoning and be conducted on the basis of the existing zoning formula as amended by the National Executive Committee of the Party. The entire country shall, however form one constituency for the purpose of the elections.

All Candidates seeking nominations shall present themselves to the National Congresses and Convention Planning Committee. Each Candidate shall be nominated by at least 20 registered members in the country, five of whom must come from the aspirant’s zone and election shall be simple majority,’’ the document reads.