Umar Sani: PDP governors’ claim of conducting credible national convention is bogus

Umar Sani, a former media adviser to Namadi Sambo, former vice-president, says the national convention of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) was not credible.

The national convention of the major opposition party took place in October 2021.

Iyorchia Ayu was elected as the chairman of the PDP after winning the election unchallenged with 3,426 votes.

Ayu was earlier adopted as the consensus candidate for the position.

Before the election, Uche Secondus, former chairman of the party, had approached an appeal court in Rivers to challenge his suspension and also sought an order of injunction to restrain the PDP from holding the convention.

But his appeal was dismissed for lacking in merit.

Consequently, Secondus said he would appeal the judgement at the supreme court.

In a statement issued on Tuesday, Sani tackled PDP governors for saying the convention was “smooth and credible”.

The governors made the comment in a communique issued at the end of their meeting on Monday.

But Sani alleged that the convention was characterised by the violation of the PDP’s constitution and wondered why the forum was congratulating itself when some party stakeholders are awaiting court rulings on the matter.

He said the communique “contains a misleading and deceptive statement intended to misdirect and prejudice the minds of discerning and genuine party members and the Justices of the Supreme Court that all is well within the party”.

Sani said the national convention was “unconstitutional,” alleging that Secondus was denied his right to exercise his mandate.

“At this time that the matter is billed for adjudication by the apex court, it is foolhardy for an unconstitutional body to convene and rain accolades on themselves and a few accomplices that assisted in truncating a credible internal democracy,” the statement reads.

“Highly influential stakeholders with a large following like Dr. Rabi’u Musa Kwankwaso and a silent majority are awaiting the outcome of the judicial trial to chart their political future. Therefore for a pressure group to make bogus claims of having conducted a “smooth and credible” national convention is indeed heresy.

“It is a known fact that the entire exercise was characterized by flagrant violation of the party’s constitution which has resulted in litigations. How does a political party that hopes to reclaim power from an aggressive opponent like the APC build its foundation on nothing?

“Unless the party builds its foundation on the rule of law and natural justice, its aspiration may be encumbered. For the avoidance of doubt, the issue as to the credibility or otherwise of the purported national convention is before the highest court of the land for determination, therefore it will be reckless and amount to a political subterfuge to copiously craft and disseminate a deceptive communique which seeks to breathe life to a dead action. Such an action cannot deter the cause and course of justice.”