PDP to hold fresh congresses in Taraba, Benue, Ogun, Ondo

By HENRY UMORU
FOLLOWING complaints from some states over  the conduct of last congresses, the nationalleadership of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP  the National Working Committee, NWC  has approved the conduct of fresh congresses from the Ward level in Taraba, Benue, Ogun and Ondo states.

Speaking with  Journalists at the end of the  313th  meeting of the NWC held during the week,  the Deputy National Chairman, Dr. Sam Sam Jaja disclosed that the leadership of the party  looked into the complaints arising from the conduct of primaries in the affected states and decided that  the petitions be addressed according  to their  merit and fresh congresses be conducted  in the affected states.

The PDP Deputy National Chairman who noted that  the NWC  relied on the letter from the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, on the conduct of the congresses to reach its decision, stressed that  the INEC report was not sacrosanct.

According to him, “ we  received petitions on the congresses, we depend to some extent on INEC report but their report is not sacrosanct”

Dr. Sam Sam Jaja who explained that   the party has already commenced fresh congresses at the Ward level in Ogun state, said,  “the process in Ogun will be completed next week”.

He explained that the NWC has resolved to curb the issue of imposition of candidates and return the party back to the people.

Responding to a question on the demolition of Mpape settlement in the federal capital territory, Dr. Jaja said the PDP will tie back the hand of the government from developing and giving the nation’s capital a facelift, adding  that PDP was  in support of the demolition, just as he  gave assurance that all those affected with genuine documents will be compensated.

The PDP Deputy National Chairman who  decried the level at which slums were  springing up in the FCT, stressed  that it was  giving the city a negative image, adding, “ I  support totally that those places be demolished. You cannot hold down the hand of government from developing the city because of politics and elections.

We are no more primitive people and we can no longer live in primitivity. Today we are enjoying Abuja because Mallam El-Rufai demolished shanties and illegal structures.”