Posted by By Jacob Edi, Abuja on
The National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Colonel Ahmadu Ali (retd) will know his fate today as to whether he will continue to remain in office as chairman or not, as the party holds its National Executive Committee (NEC).
The National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Colonel Ahmadu Ali (retd) will know his fate today as to whether he will continue to remain in office as chairman or not, as the party holds its National Executive Committee (NEC).
Daily Sun gathered that the party's NEC would either opt for the immediate removal of Ali or set a definite date for him to relinquish office.
Ali had reportedly boasted that he would only leave in November when the PDP is due for another convention against the wishes of members of the party from the South-East zone, who demanded the immediate actualization of the party's new zoning formula. The PDP had zoned the post of national chairman to the South-East.
Some political leaders from the South-East had reasoned that since the zoning formula, which concerned political appointments had taken off, the post of the party's national chairman, already zoned to the South-East should also take effect.
There has been pressure on President Umaru Yar'Adua, as leader of the party, to ensure that he fasten the exit of Ali, especially after his first appearance at NEC, where he canvassed the return of the PDP founding fathers.
It was learnt that part of the conditions given for the return of the party's founders is for its total cleansing.
Ali's case was compounded penultimate week when he took some of Obasanjo's economic policies to the cleaners. Specifically, Ali had condemned such policies as the sale of government houses, government schools, as well as the removal of agriculture subsidy by the Obasanjo government.
Ali, however, denied the comments in a statement signed by National Publicity Secretary of the PDP, Mr John Odey, 24 hours later.
Obasanjo, who will be attending his first NEC as chairman of the party's Board of Trustees, (BOT), it was gathered, was crossed with Ali over the attack on his policies. Sources said Obasanjo had tongue lashed Ali and threatened him with removal from office if he failed to retract the statement.
Today's NEC will also ratify the emergence of former President Obasanjo as the BOT chairman and also consider the report of the national committee, headed by former Vice President, Alex Ekwueme, set up to reconcile the founding fathers of the party, with a view to bringing them back to the party.