Anxiety, anger as PDP postpones presidential primaries to Dec 10

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) National Working Committee at the weekend announced sweeping changes in the dates earlier fixed for conduct of its governorship primaries and Presidential convention amid speculations and tensions.

A statement signed by the PDP National Organising Sec­retary, Abubakar Mustapha, the governorship primaries and presidential convention earlier scheduled to hold on Novem­ber 29 and December 6, 2014 would now hold on December 8 and 10, 2014, respectively.

The party in the same vein has also extended date for the submission of completed nom­ination forms. Details of the reviewed timetable as released by the party at the weekend read in part: “In exercise of its powers under Section 29 (2) (a) and (b) of the Constitu­tion of our great party (2012 as amended), the National Work­ing

Committee (NWC) has ap­proved the review of timelines (time-table) for the conduct of congresses/primaries prepara­tory to the 2015 General Elec­tions.

The new timetable, which supercedes the earlier one , is as follows:

1. House Of Assembly: (a) November 6, 2014 – Return of Forms (Completed); (b) No­vember 7, 2014 – Screening (Completed); c. November 10, Screening Appeal; (d) Novem­ber 29 – House of Assembly primaries and November 30 – Appeals. -

B.National Assembly: No­vember 14 – Return of forms; November 19-21 – Screeing Appeals; December 6 – House of Representatives primaries; December 7 – Senate prima­ries; November 8 – NASS Ap­peals.

1. Governorship: Novem­ber 14 – Return of Forms; No­vember 22-25, Screening and Appeals; December 8 – Gover­norship primaries; December 9 – Appeals.
2. Presidential: November 15 – Return of Forms; Novem­ber 26 – Screening and Ap­peals; December 10-11 – Na­tional Convention.

Meanwhile, the statement also stated that INEC had been noti­fied of the new changes, which we also gathered that many aspirants are not happy with.