The National Executive Council of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has approved Abuja as a venue for the party’s elective national convention scheduled for Oct. 30 and Oct. 31.

The Party National Publicity Secretary, Mr. Kola Ologbondiyan, disclosed this while reading the resolutions of the party’s 92nd NEC meeting held on Saturday in Abuja.

Ologbondiyan said that the NEC would also meet on Sept. 9, to review nominations and adopt zoning of national offices of the party.

“NEC has resolved that Abuja will be the venue of the PDP national elective convention slated for Oct. 30.

“NEC will meet on Sept. 9, to approve the various nominations into the respective national convention committees.

Ologbondiyan said that the party remained united and working assiduously toward removing the All Progressives Congress (APC) by 2023.

He urged members to continue to make personal sacrifices in the overall interest of the party.

“The NEC urges Nigerians to take a cue from our deliverables in our respective states as a sign of the improvements that our party wishes to deliver when elected in 2023

“NEC is confident that the PDP has earned the trust of Nigerians once again and our party will do better when given the opportunity to lead the nation.”

Ologbondiyan said that NEC condemned the harassment and intimidation of media outfits as a ploy to stifle freedom of speech.

Earlier in his remarks at the opening of the meeting, the acting National Chairman of PDP, Elder Yemi Akinwonmi, said that the various interventions in the party leadership crisis were yielding desire results.

Akinwonmi said the meeting was to discuss the party’s forthcoming elective national convention proposed for Oct. 30.

Akinwonmi appealed to party leaders and members to resist every attempt to sow disunity among them, urging everyone to work together to salvage the country.

“You are aware of the series of activities of our leaders to foster cohesion in the party. I am pleased to announce to you all that those interventions are yielding desired results.

“Let me say clearly that Nigerians are looking up to PDP to salvage this country,” Akinwonmi said.

He decried the various challenges facing the country including insecurity, banditry, kidnapping, as well as unemployment, and lost value of the naira, saying something must be done to address the challenges.

In his remarks, the Chairman of PDP Governors Forum, Gov. Aminu Tambuwal of Sokoto State, pledged the commitment of the forum members to continue to deliver dividends of democracy to their states and the loyalty to PDP.

Tambuwal, while commending various interventions into the party challenges by leaders and elders, called for unity among members.

He said that while challenges, disputes, and disagreements are part of life and politics, what was important was how they were resolved.

He stated that all mechanisms were activated to resolve all PDP issues.

“We shall continue to hold and remain together because we are the hope of the people of Nigeria and Nigerians are looking forward to PDP and we cannot afford to fail them.

“The challenges are quite many and it is important for us to continue to work together as a family.

“We are going into warfare and we must go to warfare in unity and as a family, you cannot win if you are divided.

“So let’s not lose hope. We must remain focused with our eyes on the ball. And we shall, by the grace of God, score that goal,” Tambuwal said.

Sen. Enyinnaya Abaribe, Senate Minority Leader, said it was now clear to everyone that PDP was united and moving forward.

Abaribe urged Nigerians to give PDP their votes in 2023 to return the country to the path of greatness.

He pledged that the PDP caucus in the Senate would continue to work in the best interest of the party and the nation.

“We will continue to fight, to make sure that any law that is obnoxious, any law that does not give us freedom, any law that seems to circumscribe your freedom in Nigeria, we will never agree with that law,” Abaribe said.

On his part, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar said Nigeria should no longer be in doubt of the PDP’s sense of patriotism and commitment to get Nigeria moving again.

“We are being taken aback by the APC government and we have shown to Nigerians that when we are trusted again and we will do even much better than we had done before,” Abubakar said.

He said that PDP in crisis was better and more efficient.

“If you look at PDP, it has the most experienced people in this country, whether in the executive wing, whether in the legislature, whether in party administration.

“We have the most experienced and most competent individuals in this party.”

The Chairman, Board of Trustees, Sen. Walid Jibrin, who commended the votes of confidence passed in him by the board members, said PDP was now more strengthened than ever before.

The Minority Leader of the House of Representatives, Rep. Ndudi Elumelu, said the commitment of PDP leaders demonstrated that the party would always summon any challenge that came its the way.

Elumelu, represented by Rep. Gideon Gwani (Kaduna State) urged party members to sheath their swords, reconcile their differences and jettison all personal interests and lead by example through all efforts that will give hope.

“I am sure that a new government of our party can return our nation to the path of peace stability and progress.”

At the meeting were PDP governors, NEC members, BoT members, National Assembly caucus and states chairmen. (NAN)