Three members of the Board of Trustees (BoT) of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), defied the plea by the Board’s chairman, Senator Walid Jibrin by attending the inauguration of Atiku Abubakar as the party’s Presidential aspirant.
Senator Jibrin had asked members of the BoT to be neutral and not declare any private or public support for any of the party’s 13 presidential aspirants. He asked them to be the one to adjudicate on matters brought before the board by any of the aspirants in case there are any grievances before or after the presidential primary slated for October 5 and 6 in Port Harcourt, Rivers State.
But at the inauguration of Atiku Abubakar, in Abuja yesterday, Thursday, John Nwodo, Vincent Ogbulafor, who was both former National Chairman of the party and a former Minister of Foreign Affairs, Chief Tom Ikimi.
This was against the warning by Senator Walid Jibrin that members of BoT should not move about with any aspirant.
“If we are really the conscience of the party, we should not move about with aspirants. That was what happened during the last national convention when we elected the national chairman.
“Some of us went and pitched camp with aspirants, taking them all over the place. This time, we will not allow that to happen.
“Anyone of us who move about with any aspirant should resign from the BoT. We are the one that will settle the complaints.
“But if we are involved, it will not be fair. So, we have told the members not to campaign with the aspirants; we are also the delegates. ”
Jibrin, who spoke on the flouting of the board’s directive by the members, said simply said that he would address the matter today, Friday.
“We will address it on Friday when I will be briefing you on the outcome of our meeting with the aspirants.”