PDP National Chairman, Bamanga Tukur
The National Executive Committee, NEC, of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, on Thursday inAbuja suspended the party’s forthcoming South west zonal congress slated for August 24.
This was part of decisions reached at the party`s 62nd NEC meeting attended by PresidentGoodluck Jonathan, some PDP governors and party stalwarts from across the country.
According to a communique issued at the end of the meeting, the party’s NEC took the decision to respect the order of a court.
The communique which was signed by the party’s acting national publicity secretary, TonyOkeke,stated “NEC acknowledged the service of a court injunction restraining the conduct of the South West Zonal Congress earlier scheduled for Saturday August 24, 2013”.
“In line with our avowed disposition to uphold the rule of law, NEC unanimously approved the postponement of the South West Zonal Congress,” the communique stated further.
It directed the party’s National Working Committee, NWC, to go through the court process and to set a new date for the congress when concluded.
The NEC also unanimously approved and ratified August 31 as the date for the party`s special national convention.
It commended the special congresses and convention planning committee, headed by former minister of Information, Jerry Gana for the efforts so far put in place to prepare for the convention.
The party’s former national secretary, OlagunsoyeOyinlola, had dragged the party before anOshogbo High Court to contest his removal from office and the court had declared that the office of Oyinlola was not vacant even though he was removed by an earlier court.
The nomination of Oyinlola’sreplacement, is one of the main issues planned for the now suspended South-West congress.
The NEC meeting came up two months after the last one held on June 20, even though the party’s constitution stipulates that NEC, which is its second highest body after its Board of Trustee, BOT, should meet every three months.