Convention: PDP will come out strong to receive all willing to join – Tambuwal

The Governor of Sokoto State and chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party Governors’ Forum, Aminu Tambuwal, has said that the party would emerge strong from its National Convention to receive those coming to join it.

Tambuwal stated this while briefing newsmen after the PDP stakeholders’ meeting held in Abuja on Friday night.

Tambuwal, after the meeting at the Akwa Ibom State Governor’s Lodge, said though 90 per cent has been achieved on consensus candidate, efforts were still ongoing to ensure consensus for all positions.

He said: “You can see virtually all great leader of our great party are here with the governors of various states under the control of our party where we received final briefings on the convention.

“The convention committee has assured us that every thing is being done for us to have a very successful and hitch-free convention.

“As we have assured you yesterday, we’re still working on having consensus on virtually all the positions.

“So far, we’ve achieved 85 to 90 per cent of that.

“By the grace of God, work is still in progress.

“Our leaders are going to continue to talk to the remaining contestants and see how best we can build and achieve that consensus.

“We thank God, we thank our leaders for their full participation in all that has been happening and all that we’ve been doing to get to where we are today.

“By the grace of God, PDP is back strongly and at the end of the convention, tomorrow through to Sunday, we’re going to have a repositioned PDP that we’ll be ready to receive many more people that are going to join this party soonest.”

The positions the party is yet to have consensus candidate are Deputy National Chairman (South), National Youth Leader and National Auditor.

PDP leaders at the meeting included the immediate past Vice President, Namadi Sambo, who was attending any PDP function for the first time since he left office in 2015; and former Vice President Atiku Abubakar.

Others included former Senate Presidents David Mark, Adolphus Wabara and Pius Anyim; former PDP National Chairman, Okwesilieze Nwodo; and former Deputy President of the Senate, Senator Ike Ekweremadu.

Also present were former Governors Sam Egwu (Ebonyi); Ahmed Makarfi (Kaduna); Sule Lamido (Jigawa); Ibrahim Shema (Katsina); Babangida Aliyu (Niger); Peter Obi (Anambra); and Emeka Ihedioha (Imo).