The National Working Committee of the Peoples Democratic Party on Wednesdayinformed aspirants wishing to contest for various positions at its forthcoming primaries and convention that the October 30 date for the close of the sale of Expression of Interest and Nomination forms remains unchanged.
The party similarly said that it not aware that a group, under the aegis of Niger Delta Youth for Goodluck Jonathan, wants to purchase the presidential Expression of Interest and Nomination forms for President Goodluck Jonathan.
While addressing journalists at the end of its weekly NWC meeting on Wednesday, the PDP National Publicity Secretary, Olisa Metuh, said the body has decided that there will be no extension of the closing date for the collection of the nomination forms.
According to Metuh: “It will not be extended.
“It is 6pm, 30th of October.
“No party member can obtain forms for our congress and convention 2014 after the deadline.
“The last date is 30th of October and it will not be extended
“The Constitution of the party stipulates that there will be a national convention, where decisions or memos from the national executive will either be approved or rejected and there is no way that you can go to a presidential election and say you are adopting or electing someone who has not bought form.”
Meanwhile, Jonathan, who has been adopted by the various organs of the party, is yet to declare his intention to contest the presidency despite the declaration by the PDP that the deadline for purchase of forms will not be extended.
Last Friday, the Niger Delta Youths for President Goodluck Jonathan claimed that it has written to the National Chairman of the PDP, Alhaji Adamu Mu’azu, requesting to be allowed to purchase the PDP presidential Expression of Interest and Nomination forms for the President.
The Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the group, Benjamin Nduka Egbunike, said they were told the PDP has a procedure since the President is the sole presidential candidate.
Egbunike disclosed that the group would pay for the forms on Wednesday(yesterday).
However, Metuh said he was not aware of the claims of the group.
According to him: “We are not aware of it.
“We have not been informed of any group that wants to buy form for the President.
“I am just hearing it for the first time.
“Groups have come to purchase forms for senators and governors.
“I don’t think that the NWC is against anybody coming to purchase form for the President.
“We know that the President has not declared and he has not signified his indication that he is going to contest.
“He has not given answer to the yearnings of Nigerians, but at the same time, the NWC will not be against any group that wants to purchase form for him.
“I think they are dealing with the wrong channel.”
Meanwhile, the National Publicity Secretary has disclosed that the NWC has granted unconditional waivers to all returning and new members of the party seeking to participate in the ward delegate primaries.
He however added that those who want to contest House of Assembly, the National Assembly or governorship election will go through the process by applying to the party leadership for waiver.
His words: “Because it is an ad hoc primaries, the NWC wishes to clarify that there is no requirement for party members to write to Ward Chairmen or Local Government Chairmen for waivers.
“All party members, new and returning members, are free to participate in the Ward Delegate Congress.”
Metuh assured party members that the conduct of the primaries and the convention will be open and transparent, adding: “We will not tolerate any attempt to influence or interfere in that process.
“Nobody will be selected, nobody will be adopted, no consensus, it will be an open and transparent primaries at all levels.”