Plot to disrupt PDP convention uncovered

By Tobi Adeyeye on August 29, 2013 

An alleged plot to disrupt the National Convention of the Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) on Saturday in Abuja has been uncovered by security agencies.
According to sources, some Northern groups have posters already prepared which they plan to distribute to some persons to stage a protest at the convention.
It was also learnt that should the protesters be prevented from entering the convention ground, they had planned to employ violence.
The group with the name PDP Peace and Justice Movement was said to have planned to mobilized some 10,000 protesters to disrupt the mini convention on Saturday.
It was gathered that the group aimed to flood all inlets into the Eagle Square, venue of the National Convention, with over 10,000 protesters in what was described as a bid to “take our case to the delegates that power should go to the North, come 2015, and if we are not heard, possibly disrupt the convention.”
Security agencies were, according to sources, on the trail of the brains behind the plot after it intercepted tonnes of posters which were printed in Kano and Kaduna.
Another printed programme intercepted by the agencies, which was signed by one Mallam Abdullahi Maibirgi as National Co-ordinator of the group reads: “PDP Peace and Justice Movement demands peace in our highly cherished party. For peace to exist there must be justice…. (And) justice in this context means granting the North the party’s presidential ticket for the 2015 presidential election.
“PDP Peace and Justice Movement, hereby throws its full weight behind the Save Democracy campaign being mounted by some PDP governors and urge all party faithful to support this patriotic effort.
The campaign is aimed at sanitzing PDP of its cankerworm and stabilizing our growing democracy in the country. With these initiatives, these governors have proved themselves as great democrats, patriots, visionary leaders, loyal and faithful party members.”
Meanwhile, there was confusion at the mini-National convention of the PDP on Wednesday when the screening of aspirants for the convention slated for Saturday in Abuja was postponed till Friday by the Senator Victor Udoma-Egba-led screening committee of the convention.
Both the aspirants and members of the screening committee who arrived the Venue of the exercise as early as 8 00 am for the exercise scheduled to take off from 10 00 am were stunned when the learnt of the sudden postponement without prior notice from either the Committee or the National Convention Committee.
Most of the aspirants who spoke with this correspondent privately over the development expressed dismay over the postponement till Friday, less than 24 hours to the convention, alleging that it was a ploy to screen out some aspirants and wondered what would be the fate of those that might be disqualified during the screening but with good case of going for appeal in line with the guidelines for the convention and the constitution of the party.
“This is a ploy to screen out some aspirants, why the sudden postponement? They released the guidelines that the screening would take place today (Wednesday) and here we are  now only to tell us another story, we left our various states for Abuja for the screening in preparatory for the convention not knowing that they have their own agenda, when are we going to have the appeal panel to sit? one of the aggrieved sspirants from the South-East lamented while commenting on the postponement.
However, speaking with newsmen on what warranted the  postponement, the chairman of the screening committee, Senator Udoma-Egba assured that there was no hidden agenda whatsoever, saying “Some members  complained that the notice was too short and then two, we want to see if the zones can reach common grounds on positions zoned to them. I know some zones have already agreed and others are still in the process of achieving it and you know that if you are able to reach a common position, it would facilitate the conference, that’s why the party in its wisdom decided to give the zone some time so that they can finetune their positions.”
When he was reminded that some zones like the North-Central had harmonised their positions, he said, ”You don’t do screening in installment. You take everybody same day.”
He also spoke on the appeal by disqualified aspirants and lateness, “An appeal panel has been set up and in politics we work 24 hours and there’s no break and I believe all these issues will be addressed.

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SOURCE: THE HERALD