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Following alleged plots by some of its
old members to hijack the ward and local government congresses, the
national leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) yesterday
threw the congress open to both the new and returnee members.

A statement by the party’s
spokesperson, Ahmed Rufai Alkali, in Abuja on Sunday, said it received
complaints by some new members that they were being prevented from
either contesting or voting during the congresses.

The party warned that nobody should be
excluded from the exercise, since both old and returnee members have
the constitutional right to participate in the exercise.

At its 53rd National Executive
Committee meeting last Wednesday, the PDP approved the guidelines for
the congresses where candidates for various elective offices will be
picked. It also fixed for October 23 its national convention, where the
presidential candidate will be ratified.

“The attention of the Peoples
Democratic Party ( PDP) has been drawn to several complaints by party
members nationwide on the eligibility of members to participate in the
election of party delegates in the forthcoming ward and local
government congresses,” it said.

“We have received reports that some
members of the PDP are likely to be prevented from either contesting to
be delegates or voting for candidates of their choice by some party
officials. We wish to state categorically that all PDP members are
constitutionally entitled to participate in the ward congresses. For
the avoidance of doubt, both the old and new membership cards remain
valid for the exercise,” it added.

Party for all

The party also warned its officials at
all levels to avoid creating scenarios where any member will be
disenfranchised under whatever guise.

Mr. Alkali added that the national chairman, Okwesilieze Nwodo,
wants all party faithful to conduct themselves in a peaceful and
orderly manner in order to ensure a free and fair process of electing
candidates for the polls.