PDP Announces Date And Venue For National Convention, Flays FG Over Raid Of Ekiti Assembly

The opposition Peoples Democratic Party will hold its national convention to elect new leaders in May, in Port Harcourt, Rivers State capital.

The date and venue was announced on Monday at the end the 69th meeting of the party’s National Executive Committee (NEC), in Abuja.

The communique Of the NEC meeting, which was signed by the party’s national chairman and secretary, Ali Sheriff and Adewale Oladipo respectively also said the NEC approved the time-table for the party’s congresses.

It said congresses would commence on Saturday April 23, while the national convention would hold on Saturday May 21, 2016 in the Rivers state capital.

The NEC also approved the extension of the tenure of office of all organs of the party at all levels until the conduct of congresses and national convention, except those of Edo and Ondo states.

“NEC approved the setting up of four special committees in preparation for the national convention. They are National Convention Committee, Reconciliation Committee, Zoning Committee and Finance Committee,” the communique said.

Meanwhile, The PDP NEC also said it had observed the “erosion of fundamental human rights and constitutionally guaranteed personal liberty of Nigerians” especially key leaders of the PDP by the APC-led Federal Government.

The party condemns “the incessant harassment, maltreatment and unlawful incarceration of PDP leaders at various levels by government-controlled law enforcement and prosecution agencies”.

It particularly condemned the alleged invasion and raiding of Ekiti State House of Assembly last Friday and the subsequent arrest and continued detention of four PDP members of the House by the State Security Service “on trumped-up charges”.

The party demanded the immediate and unconditional release of the four PDP members of the Ekiti Assembly.

It called on the international community and all civil rights organizations worldwide to take note of the “denial of fundamental human rights, abuse of liberties and freedom of individuals; and the rapid descent of Nigeria into totalitarianism”.

The party condoled with the families of its 18 members who it said were murdered in Ogoniland in Rivers state.

It also commiserated with the Federal Government and the Government of Kogi State over the unfortunate death of the late Minister of State for Labour, James Ocholi, and promised to send a high-powered delegation to condole with his family.