The opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) yesterday held its national conference in an effort to re-brand and reposition the party ahead of 2019 general elections.
However, former President Goodluck Jonathan, his deputy Namadi Sambo, erstwhile national chairman of the party Adamu Mu’azu, and former Senate President David Mark did not attend the event.
However, former President Goodluck Jonathan, his deputy Namadi Sambo, erstwhile national chairman of the party Adamu Mu’azu, and former Senate President David Mark did not attend the event.
A PDP founding member Alhaji Adamu Ciroma, former Vice President, Chief Alex Ekwueme, former Niger State governor Babangida Aliyu and Ekiti State Governor Ayodele Fayose, among others, were also conspicuously absent.
A former Board of Trustees (BOT) chairman, Chief Tony Anenih, who resigned from his position on May 20, same day Mu’azu threw in the towel also shunned the event. Former governors Ali Modu Sheriff (Borno), Ahmed Makarfi (Kaduna), and others stayed away. Former anti-graft tsar NuhuRibadu, who was PDP candidate for Adamawa State in the last election, was also absent. Out of PDP’s 13 serving governors, seven were not in attendance.
Why dignitaries stayed away
Ciroma, who was listed among the dignitaries to grace the conference, told Daily Trust why he stayed away from the event.
In a phone interview, Ciroma said, “I saw the advertisement in the paper and television. It was only yesterday (Wednesday) that some people came to formally invite me and I turned down the invitation because they didn’t do it before the advertisement. They should consult me before making any advertisement.”
Asked if the PDP can be re-branded, Ciroma, a former finance minister, laughed. “You are trying to find the fact. The fact is that I was not informed of the meeting. If you could remember, former President (Ibrahim) Babangida also said he was not attending the meeting,” he said.
He also declined to say whether he had quit active politics like Babangida.
On his part, Fayose said he excused himself from the meeting because he was observing three days of fasting and prayers ahead of his 55th birthday this weekend.
He stated this while chatting with reporters at his Afao Ekiti country home, shortly after he was conferred with the title of ‘Leader of opposition in the country’ by the state House of Assembly.
The assembly had earlier in the day during a special session passed the resolution in his honour.
Fayose said he had to be with his God and needed time to pray and must abstain from all distractions.
He, however, said though he might not be at the event physically, he was with them in spirit.
“Some of my commissioners were there and the chairman of my party is also there. I may not be there physically but I am with them morally and I supported them financially.”
Earlier, former military president, Ibrahim Babangida, had turned down an invitation by the PDP to be part of the rebranding conference. In a statement in Minna, Babangida said he had long quit partisan politics.
No reason was given for Jonathan’s absence at the event. The chairman of the National Organising Committee of the conference Raymond Dokpesi had tendered apology for fielding Jonathan as PDP’s candidate in the 2015 election, describing it as a mistake.
Absentee governors included Seriake Dickson (Bayelsa), Ben Ayade (Cross River), Dave Umahi (Ebonyi), Fayose (Ekiti), Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi (Enugu), Okezie Ikpeazu (Abia) and Nyesom Wike (Rivers).
However, governors Darius Ishaku (Taraba), Ibrahim Hassan Dankwambo (Gombe), Idris Wada (Kogi), Ifeanyi Okowa (Delta), Udom Emmanuel (Akwa Ibom) and Olusegun Mimiko (Ondo) were present.
Former governors of the party present were Gabriel Suswam (Benue), Sule Lamido (Jigawa) and Senate Minority Leader Godswill Akpabio, among others.
Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu and other PDP senators were in attendance.
Why dignitaries stayed away
Ciroma, who was listed among the dignitaries to grace the conference, told Daily Trust why he stayed away from the event.
In a phone interview, Ciroma said, “I saw the advertisement in the paper and television. It was only yesterday (Wednesday) that some people came to formally invite me and I turned down the invitation because they didn’t do it before the advertisement. They should consult me before making any advertisement.”
Asked if the PDP can be re-branded, Ciroma, a former finance minister, laughed. “You are trying to find the fact. The fact is that I was not informed of the meeting. If you could remember, former President (Ibrahim) Babangida also said he was not attending the meeting,” he said.
He also declined to say whether he had quit active politics like Babangida.
On his part, Fayose said he excused himself from the meeting because he was observing three days of fasting and prayers ahead of his 55th birthday this weekend.
He stated this while chatting with reporters at his Afao Ekiti country home, shortly after he was conferred with the title of ‘Leader of opposition in the country’ by the state House of Assembly.
The assembly had earlier in the day during a special session passed the resolution in his honour.
Fayose said he had to be with his God and needed time to pray and must abstain from all distractions.
He, however, said though he might not be at the event physically, he was with them in spirit.
“Some of my commissioners were there and the chairman of my party is also there. I may not be there physically but I am with them morally and I supported them financially.”
Earlier, former military president, Ibrahim Babangida, had turned down an invitation by the PDP to be part of the rebranding conference. In a statement in Minna, Babangida said he had long quit partisan politics.
No reason was given for Jonathan’s absence at the event. The chairman of the National Organising Committee of the conference Raymond Dokpesi had tendered apology for fielding Jonathan as PDP’s candidate in the 2015 election, describing it as a mistake.
Absentee governors included Seriake Dickson (Bayelsa), Ben Ayade (Cross River), Dave Umahi (Ebonyi), Fayose (Ekiti), Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi (Enugu), Okezie Ikpeazu (Abia) and Nyesom Wike (Rivers).
However, governors Darius Ishaku (Taraba), Ibrahim Hassan Dankwambo (Gombe), Idris Wada (Kogi), Ifeanyi Okowa (Delta), Udom Emmanuel (Akwa Ibom) and Olusegun Mimiko (Ondo) were present.
Former governors of the party present were Gabriel Suswam (Benue), Sule Lamido (Jigawa) and Senate Minority Leader Godswill Akpabio, among others.
Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu and other PDP senators were in attendance.
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