The National Executive Committee of the Peoples Democratic Party on Friday resolved the lingering crisis over the choice of venue for its national convention.
The National Executive Council held a meeting at the National headquarters of the party and decided to hold the convention at Port Harcourt, Rivers State.
In attendance at the NEC meeting were the National Chairman of the party, Prince Uche Secondus, and the presidential aspirants including former Vice President Atiku Abubakar; a former Governor of Kaduna State, Senator Ahmed Makarfi; as well as President of the Senate, Bukola Saraki, and a former Minister of Special Duties, Kabiru Tanimu Turaki (SAN ).
The Conventon, now due to hold between October 6 and 7 will decide the party’s presidential candidate for the upcoming election.
Governor of Rivers State, Nyesom Wike, who threatened the party against changing the venue of the Convention has apologized for his outburst.
While briefing Journalists, the National Publicity Secretary of the party, Mr. Kola Ologbondiyan, said that all the presidential aspirants had agreed to be at Port Harcourt for the convention.
He said, “All our presidential aspirants were assured of a level-playing field, and they were told that none of them would be accorded any form of preferential treatment.”
“The NEC also approved the budget for the 2018 national convention which will hold in Port Harcourt, Rivers state.
“NEC further resolved that we will be committing all our presidential aspirants to a bond on the outcome of the election.
“What this translates into is that all our aspirants will sign an agreement with our party in order to ensure that the outcome of the national convention which the party has promised to be transparent, free, fair and acceptable to Nigerians, must be accepted by all our aspirants.
“The aspirants have been assured of a transparent process at the national convention. The aspirants collectively assured the party also that their fears over the Port Harcourt convention has been allayed by the party.”