As 2015 draws ever closer and political parties begin to present candidates for several posts, the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has announced that their presidential candidate would be chosen in November, about 3 months before the elections.
According to a report by vanguard, a member of the National Working Committe (NWC) said the ahead of the November national convention, the party would convene a special national convention in September aimed at ratifying the appointment of Alhaji Adamu Mu’azu who took over the reins of power from Bamanga Tukur as national chairman of the party on Monday, January 20, 2014.
Mu’azu’s appointment was endorsed by the 64th National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting at the national secretariat of the PDP at Wadata plaza Abuja.
Vanguard reports:
The Deputy National Chairman of the party, Uche Secondus, who presided over the election of Mr. Mu’azu, quoted section 47 (6) of the party’s constitution which empowers NEC to elect a new official to fill vacancy created by the resignation of an elected official. The motion for the nomination of Muazu was moved by the Governor of Bauchi State, Mallam Isa Yuguda, and was seconded by the Senate Leader, Senator Victor Ndoma – Egba.
Consequently, the new PDP national chairman was elected and was presented to party leadership, but he would require a Special National convention to endorse his candidacy before he could sign very vital documents of the party especially presenting candidates for election to the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC.
In preparation for the November Convention where the presidential candidate of PDP would emerge, it then became imperative to organise a convention first in September to give Muazu’s emergence, the needed Constitutional recognition.
According to PDP’s constitution, Chapter 33(10), ” A special National Convention may be convened at any time at the instance of the National Executive Committee or if requested for by two- third of all State Congresses and the Special National Convention shall meet to discuss only special matters which shall be specified in the notice summoning the Convention.”
It would be recalled the the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC has fixed Saturday, February 14, 2015 as date for the presidential election.
A breakdown of the timetable of activities for the elections as contained in a document signed by INEC’s Secretary, Mrs. Augusta Ogakwu, presidential primaries of the various parties should be held between Thursday, October 2, 2014 and Thursday, December 11, 2014 while campaigns for the election will commence Sunday, November 16, 2014 even as the dates are in line with the provisions of the Electoral Act.
According to INEC, primary elections to fill positions within political parties ahead of 2015 general election will begin Thursday, October 2, 2014 and end December Thursday, 11, 2014, even as this includes resolution of disputes arising from the primaries.
Campaigns for presidential and National Assembly elections will commence on Sunday, November 16, 2014 while campaigns for governorship and state houses of assembly will start on November 30, 2014.
According to INEC, campaigns for presidential and National Assembly elections would end on Thursday, February 12, 2015 while those of governorship and state houses of assembly would stop on February 26, 2015 and February 28, 2015 for the governorship and state houses of assembly elections.
It will also be recalled that ahead of April, 2011 Presidential election, the PDP conducted its primary election on Thursday, January 13, 2 where President Goodluck won and became the party’s presidential candidate.
