Barely 48 hours to the much awaited People’s Democratic Party (PDP) national convention slated for December, 9, 2017 in Abuja, former Nigeria’s Head of State, General Ibrahim Babangida has warned against the throwing around of money by some individuals in party to manipulate the whole progresses in order to clinch the chairmanship seat against the wish and popular interest of the people.
The former dictator gave this warning Wednesday when Delta state Governor, Ifeanyi Okowa-led convention organising committee of PDP, in company of the caretaker committee chairman of the party, Ahmed Makarfi and top officials of the party paid a courtesy visit on Babangida in his hilltop mansion, Minna, Niger State.
Babangida who expressed joy over the level of preparations by the convention committee and the Makarfi led caretaker committee, called for a level playing ground for all the contesters stressing that all must be done to making sure that the whole process was rancour free.
On the recent defection of the former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar from the APC to the PDP, the evil genius said, As a Nigerian, Atiku is allowed to go to any party and our constitution allows it, so, it is not new and there is nothing wrong for politician to move from one party to another.”
Speaking, the PDP caretaker committee chairman, Ahmed Makarfi said that the visit was in line with the tradition of the PDP where elders and leaders of the party are consulted for the right decisions to be taken.
“In the PDP, we respect leaders, General Babangida has always been with us and it is the tradition of the party to be consulting with our leaders that is why we are here today to brief him (IBB) on the arrangement we have made and take whatever advice he gives for conducting a credible and transparent convention. The success story so far is a confirmation of series of interaction with leaders and founding members of the party,” Markarfi stated.
On his part, the convention committee chairman and Governor Okowa assured a successful convention, “A lot has been put on ground for a successful Convention to be held we thank the Caretaker Committee of our party because they have done a lot ahead of the inauguration on Monday and since then, we have held several meetings.
“As at today, we are confident that we are on course; in terms of trying to provide all that has to be done on Saturday, we are going to have exciting convention, there is no doubt about that, everything concerning the electoral process have been put in place. We obviously will not allow everybody to come into the venue, it is going to be restrictive convention because, it is an elective convention and I think our party will accept that, it is in the interest of the party and in terms of fairness, we are right on course.” Okowa said.
