Written by Tashikalmah Hallah
Monday, 30 July 2007

lead the party to the December 8 convention. A party source said the decision to replace the Ahmadu Ali-led executive was hinged on the grounds that many prominent mem-bers of the working committee have either been elected into political office or have taken up political appointments with various governments.

Key officers of the party including Chief Ojo Maduekwe, the national secretary and Mr. John Odey, the national publicity secre-tary have been appointed as Ministers of Foreign Affairs and Information and Commu-nications respectively. Alhaji Ahmed Mohammed Gusau,

political adviser to the national chairman, has also been appointed a minister.

Earlier, PDP’s deputy national chairman [North] Alhaji Ibrahim Shema, was elected Governor of Katsina state. Although Messrs Ojo Maduekwe and John Odey have not resigned their positions, the source said that the duo couldn’t hold the two positions simultaneously, adding "their deputies cannot hold on until December. It would be against the party’s zoning formula".

The interim leadership to be constituted today would be affirmed in December during the party’s national convention, said an impeccable source, who also said some hawks within the PDP are bent on pushing out former President Olusegun Obasanjo as the PDP Board of Trustees chairman.

Former Senate President Anyim Pius Anyim and Dr Sam Egwu, the former Governor of Ebonyi state are being considered to replace Dr. Ahmadu Ali as national chairman, pending the convention.

The PDP national executive committee had met earlier this month and resolved to conduct the National Convention in December this year, with the ward congresses to start early in November. As part of the preparation for the national convention, the party constituted a reconciliation committee, chaired by former Vice President Dr Alex Ekwueme.