Clark warns on PDP convention

ELDER statesman, Chief Edwin Clark has warned the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) not to extend the tenure of the Senator Ahmed Makarfi-led National Caretaker Committee (NCC) of the party.

Extension of the tenure of the committee is one of the major decisions expected to be taken by delegates in Saturday’s non-elective national convention of the party.

In a statement issued in Abuja on Thursday, he said extending the tenure beyond three months would affect the party’s preparation for 2019 election.

Clark also advised that all national chairmanship aspirants from the south, a region to which the post has been zoned, must be allowed to pass through one primary election.

He said: “Senator Ahmed Markarfi’s Caretaker Committee should be given at most another three months to allow new executives and other organs of the Party to be elected it enable the party move on.

“Any time longer than three months will not be in the best interest of the Party and its members.

“If Presidential election is to take place in February 2019, the minimum time required by an elected executive will not be more than 12 months to settle down.

“If there are interested members of the Caretaker Committee for elective positions, such as President, Senator or Governor, such persons should not remain in office as members of the Caretaker Committee for more than three months.”

Clark maintained that the PDP must stick to the recommendations of the Senator Ike Ekweremadu Report on zoning of the chairmanship and the Presidency

According to him, when the presidential candidate would be chosen, the aspirants should also be subjected to one primary election.

He added: “Let all Presidential aspirants from the 19 states of the North be subjected to one Primary, whereas, all National Chairmanship candidates from the 17 States of the South be subjected also to one Primary to contest together, so as to produce the best candidate, to practicalize democracy.”

Clark who resigned from partisan politics in 2015, recalled that he has warned of the dangers of imposition before the party was defeated in the last general election.

He said even though he has retired, he was constrained to intervene in PDP matters as a statesman and a major stakeholder in the Nigerian project.

Clark stressed: “You will recall that that I was one of the Elders and Senior members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), the Party that was in Power at the centre from the return of Democracy in 1999 to 2015.

“While I was in the party as a member, I paid my dues to the fullest until I retired from partisan politics in 2015.

“Though I have retired from partisan politics, but I remain a statesman and Stakeholder  in the Nigeria  Project and I have been contributing to the peace and development of our dear Nation, Nigeria.

“This explains why I will advice on any subject that concerns the well- being  of our country.

“It is on this platform that I am offering my well thought out counsel, especially at this time when the PDP is preparing for its non-elective convention.