Celebration of Jonathan in Abuja

ABUJA, the nation’s capital city, was last Wednesday practically locked down by a combination of traffic gridlock and security cordon put in place for the national convention of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP.

The security cordon was within a five kilometre radius of the Eagles Square venue in the heart of the city leading to a spill over that was felt as far away as the Airport Road and other major highways leading into the city.

Different story

Many residents compelled to go out for business trekked long distances to their destinations. Others, especially civil servants not so compelled, simply stayed back at home and enjoyed a two day holiday.

It was a different story for the hospitality industry, which had good business. All the hotels were fully literally taken up by the 4,224 persons accredited to attend the national convention.

That number was besides the hangers on that also came into the federal capital for the convention.

Killing many birds with a stone: The event was a case of the PDP using one stone to kill more than three birds. First, it was the election and ratification of Alhaji Adamu

•Senate President, Senator David Mark, wife of the Vice President, Hajia Amina Sambo, Vice President Nnamadi Sambo, First Lady, Patience Jonathan and National Chairman of PDP, Alhaji Adamu Mua’zu at the PDP National Convention in Abuja.

Mu’azu, Professor Wale Oladipo and Adeyanju as the substantive national chairman, secretary and auditor of the party respectively. At the end of the exercise, Mu’azu scored a total of 2672 votes out of the 2691, Oladipo got 2639 out of 2646 votes while Adeyanju secured 2575 out of the 2596 votes cast.

Mu’azu who took over from the former National Chairman, Alhaji Bamanga Tukur was appointed in January this year by the National Executive Committee, NEC at its 64th meeting and he would need to be affirmed at the party’s National Convention, same applies to Adeyanju who took over from Bode Mustapha and Oladipo who replaced the former National Secretary, Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola who came in through the March, 2012 National Convention.

New manifesto, amended constitution

At the convention, the PDP approved a new manifesto to guide all the organs of the party. The 38- page manifesto which shall be for a period of four years from 2015 to 2019, would serve as a working document for the party and the government formed by the party, even as the party also approved its amended Constitution.

PDP National Legal Adviser, Victor Kwon explained that the approval became imperative for the officers to have legitimacy.

The National Youth leader, Abdullahi MaiBasira at 10.27pm, then moved a motion for a new manifesto which was approved by all the delegates.

The major and final action carried out same night and into the early hours of Thursday was that delegates voted for and ratified President Jonathan as the party’s presidential candidate for the 2015 presidential election.

In the arena, pavilions and stands of the various states were filled up and the atmosphere was full of life, except in some cases when the opposite canopies to the VIP stand were empty.

Delegates were fully dressed and seated in their pavilions as praise singers had a field day dancing round the square.

Parallel primaries

At the event, it was surprising that in spite of the parallel primaries conducted by the Adamawa PDP with one in Abuja which led to the emergence of former chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, as the candidate of the party for the 2015 governorship election and another one in Adamawa with threats of planned boycott, Governor James Ngilari attended the convention, sat with Ribadu, just as they engaged in discussions. The governor was the head of Adamawa State delegates. Also with them were former Political Adviser to the President, Alhaji Ahmed Gulak; former Military Governor of Lagos, General Buba Marwa and deputy Senate leader, Senator Jonathan Zwingina.

Governorship candidate

Ngilari had rejected the primaries which produced Ribadu on the premise that he had been unfairly schemed out of the race for the party’s ticket for the 2015 election. The governor and Ribadu were later seen walking together to meet President Jonathan inside the State Box of the Eagle Square.

At the Ondo State Pavilion, Governor Olusegun Mimiko, Senator Bode Olajumoke; former State PDP Chairman, Ebenezer Alabi; acting Chairman, Engr. Clement Faboyede sat together.

Also at the Convention, Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan of Delta State and the governorship candidate of PDP in the state, Senator Ifeanyi Okowa, sat together at the stand provided for Delta State, indicating that the pre- election noise has been put aside. It would be recalled that prior to the primaries, Governor Uduaghan had rooted for Tony Obuh and later David Edevbie, to clinch the party’s ticket, but they lost to Okowa.