NWC members beg Jonathan for appointments

President Goodluck Jonathan

Out-of-favour members of the National Working Committee of the Peoples Democratic Party on Tuesday night begged President Goodluck Jonathan to reward them with political appointments.

The eight members, expected to leave office on Thursday, appealed to the President for appointments since they had not completed their tenure as NWC members of the party.

They were elected at the party’s national convention which was held in Abuja in March 2012 and they were supposed to be in office for four years.

However, the report by the Independent National Electoral Commission, which queried the way they emerged through affirmation, was said to have been responsible for their being asked to resign.

The affected NWC members are the Deputy National Chairman, Dr. Sam Sam Jaja; National Organising Secretary, Abubakar Mustapha; National Youth Leader, Alhaji Garba Chima; Acting National Secretary, Solomon Onwe; Woman Leader, Kema Chikwe; National Legal Adviser, Victor Kwom; National Publicity Secretary, Olisa Metuh; andthe party’s National Treasurer, Bala Kaoje.

The President was said to have told them that their continued stay in office could be to the party’ disadvantage in the future as some people were already planning to capitalise on the report to challenge decisions taken by the affected officials in court.

At the Tuesday’ meeting, the President was said to have asked them to comply with his directive before any further discussion on their request.

A member of the NWC, who disclosed this to our correspondent on condition of anonymity, said he and his colleagues did not know what would happen concerning their appeal to the President.

He said the President refused to listen to their pleas that their case, which is pending in court, be allowed to be decided before leaving office.

“I think the mind of the President is made up. He insisted that we must resign first. We will comply,” he added.

Meanwhile, the party’s national mini convention has been slated for July 15, while the zonal congress would hold on July 13.

This decision was taken at the meeting the G.84 members had with the Chairman of the PDP Governors Forum, who is also the Governor of Akwa Ibom State, Chief Godswill Akpabio, in Abuja on Tuesday.