By Onyebuchi Ezigbo in Abuja
An influential pressure group within the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), the Rescue Group has expressed support for the Board of Trustees insistence that the current leadership of the party must step down in May to allow new national officers to emerge during the national convention.
This was contained in a statement jointly signed by the group’s Chairman, Amb. Wilberforce Juta and Secretary, Mr. Muktar Shagari.
It said that since the Ekweremadu Committee recommended zoning the 2019 Presidential ticket to the North, it is suggestive that the chairmanship of the party moves to the south in line with the zoning rotation tradition of the party.
The group urged the National Chairman, Senator Ali Modu Sheriff to immediately set up the approved four committees ahead of the party’s Congresses and National Convention.
It stated that the advice became necessary following the failure of Sheriff to constitute the committees as approved by the organs of PDP barely few months to the party’s congresses.
It said that this was part of group’s resolution from its meeting held on March 30, with a view to correcting the current impasse and anomalies in the party.
The PDP Rescue Group observed that the decision of the NEC is yet to be implemented barely few weeks to the takeoff of the congresses.
“This apparent foot-dragging has many incalculable damages on our efforts to re-position the PDP as an effective opposition party,” it stated.
The group commended the courage of the Board of Trustees (BOT) for standing firm on grounds of principles and upholding the decisions of the 69th PDP NEC meeting.
