Prof. Jerry Gana, Chairman, PDP Special National Convention, said on Thursday that the office of the National Secretary of the party would not be contested for at the Aug. 31 convention.
He stated this at a news conference in Abuja, adding that those who purchased forms to contest for the position, would be refunded their money by the party`s headquarters.
Gana said the decision to suspend election into the position was taken because of the pending court case instituted against the party by the party`s former National Secretary, Chief Olagunsoye Oyinlola.
Oyinlola had gone to an Oshogbo High Court to challenge his removal from office by a Federal High Court.
The aspirants who had purchased forms to contest the position at the cost of N500,000 included Prof. Tunde Adeniran, Mr Ebenezer Babatope, Mr Dapo Sarunmi among others.
“For the avoidance of doubt, election into the office of the party`s national secretary has been deferred until the final determination of a subsisting court case on this matter.
“As soon as the case is concluded, appropriate decisions will be taken in accordance with the directives of the court judgment when delivered,” Gana said.
He said that PDP was determined to ensure “constitutional democracy, good governance, social justice, peace and security for Nigerians”.
Gana further said that the screening of aspirants for the special convention earlier slated for Aug. 28, was postponed to Aug. 30, to give aspirants enough time to prepare to appear for the exercise.
He gave the assurance that all aspirants would be given fair treatment.
Gana added that the appeal panel, headed by Gov. Theodore Orji of Abia, would be on ground to attend to those who would want to appeal after the screening.
Other members of the appeal panel, according to him, include Mr Richard Akinjide and Alhaji Dalhatu Tafida.
Also speaking, Gov. Godswill Akpabio of Akwa Ibom, the Deputy Chairman of the convention committee, said most of the positions were not contestable because the positions had only one candidate who would be returned unopposed.
Contributing, Sen. Ike Ekweremadu, Secretary of the committee, said that zoning of the position of the National Publicity Secretary to the South-East would stand.
“This is a democracy, everybody is eligible to run for the position of national publicity secretary and in PDP we zoned positions to the six geo-political zones.
“We believe that the aspirants would respect it,” he said.
