Akwa Ibom, Bauchi, Benue PDP suspends congress

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Akwa Ibom State says it has suspended the state congress indefinitely.

A press release issued by the State Publicity Secretary, Mr Ini Ememobong, said the suspension was partly in response to COVID-19.

He stated that though no case of COVID-19 has been recorded in the state, the party was working in compliance with the directive of the National Working Committee (NWC) of the party and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

“The NWC and INEC have suspended political activities effective 24th March 2020, as part of a comprehensive response mechanism to the ravaging coronavirus pandemic nationally.

“While we are yet to record any confirmed case in our state, we are duty-bound to obey the directive of our NWC and INEC.

“To this end, the state chairman of our party and chairman State Congresses Coordinating Committee, Obong Paul Ekpo, has directed that the state congress be postponed till further notice,” the statement read.

Also in Bauchi state, the party has suspended its state congress indefinitely as measures to prevent the spread of the virus.

Publicity Secretary of the party in the state, Alhaji Yayanua Zainabari, who disclosed this in a telephone interview said the party has postponed indefinitely the state congress of the party. In the same vein, the party in Benue State has postponed its state congress indefinitely as part of measures to fight against the COVID-19 pandemic.

 Our correspondent reports that the party’s state congress was earlier scheduled for Tuesday, March 24, 2020.

A statement dated March 23, 2020 issued by the PDP State Publicity Secretary, Bemgba Iortyom said, “this postponement is sequel to a directive from the National Secretariat of our great party in Abuja that all of its organs across the country comply with measures being taken by the federal government against the COVID-19 global pandemic aka coronavirus.

“Part of the measures being put in place by government prohibits gatherings of more than 50 persons in close proximity and holding the scheduled state congress on Tuesday would amount to a violation of those measures which are aimed at curtailing the spread of the pandemic in Nigeria.”

The party, therefore, directed that all arrangements hitherto being made by delegates and stakeholders of the party to travel to Makurdi to attend the earlier slated state congress be stood down till further notice. (Daily Trust)