Fubara, Adeleke, Kefas Absent As PDP Convention Begins

 

As the national convention of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) gets underway in Ibadan, Oyo State, some prominent figures, including governors, in the opposition party, have yet to arrive.

They include governors Ademola Adeleke (Osun), Sim Fubara (Rivers), and Agbu Kefas (Taraba), who have not been sighted at the Lekan Salami Stadium in Adamasingba, venue of the ongoing convention.

READ ALSO: Makinde, Fintiri, Bala Mohammed, Damagum Arrive PDP Convention Venue

Present at the exercise are Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State, Governor Ahmadu Fintiri of Adamawa State, Governor Bala Mohammed of Bauchi State, Governor Dauda Lawal (Zamfara), Governor Caleb Mutfwang (Plateau) and the PDP acting National Chairman, Umar Damagum.

 

 

Also present are the Senate Minority Leader, Abba Moro; a former governor of Osun, Olagunsoye Oyinlola, his Gombe counterpart, Senator Ibrahim Dankwambo; the Board of Trustees chairman, Senator Adolphus Wabara; and a chieftain of the party, Bode George, among others.

 

 

 

Mohammed, Makinde, Others Receive Flags

 

Meanwhile, leaders of the PDP have received the flags of the party, the Nigerian national flag, and the national convention flag, among others.

Damagum received the flag of the PDP, while Fintiri, who is also the chairman of the national convention, received the national convention flag.

 

 

Mohammed, who is also the Chairman of the PDP Governors’ Forum, received the Nigerian flag, with the host governor, Makinde, receiving the Oyo State flag.

Other leaders who received flags at the event were Moro, who received the Senate flag, and Fred Agbedi, who received the House of Representatives flag.

The convention began with the accreditation of the over 3,000 delegates, who have converged on Ibadan, the Oyo State capital.

 

 

The accreditation process for delegates from across the 36 states of the federation and the Federal Capital Territory, which is preparatory to the voting exercise, started in the afternoon.

Ibadan had been agog since Friday as party faithful from across the country berthed in the city.

 

 

Governor Makinde had on Friday hosted a dinner, which was attended by PDP governors, former governors, the Board of Trustees (BoT) Chairman, Senator Adolphus Wabara, and the party’s National Working Committee.

 

 

Convention Amid Litigation

 

The convention began despite the litigation that has trailed it for weeks.

The venue of the exercise is buzzling with activities and delagates from different parts of the country dressed in colouful attires.

READ ALSO: Lekan Salami Stadium Buzzes As PDP National Convention Gets Underway In Ibadan

There is a heavy present of security, comprising different law enforcement agencies, at the venue to maintain order during the convention.

 

 

Since the national convention was announced, some members of the party loyal to the Federal Capital Territory Minister, Nyesom Wike, insisted that some issues, including the conduct of congresses, be resolved.

 

 

 

The development led to further division in the PDP, with Damagum and Abdulrahman Muhammed heading the two factions of the party.

While the Damagum group insisted on the convention, the Abdulrahman camp cancelled the convention following the judgment of the Abuja Federal High Court.

The BoT, led by Wabara, insisted that the national convention would go ahead as planned, despite an order by Justice Peter Lifu of the Federal High Court in Abuja restraining the party from holding its 2025 convention in Oyo State.

Also, the Oyo State High Court sitting in Ibadan on Friday adjourned its decision on a preliminary objection challenging its jurisdiction in a separate suit filed by PDP member Folahan Adelabi, who is also seeking to stop the convention.