The 2016 PDP National Convention was held on Saturday, 21 May 2016 at the

Sharks Stadium Sharks Stadium is a multi-use stadium in Port Harcourt, Nigeria. Part of the Alfred Diete-Spiff Rivers State sports complex, it is used mostly for football Football is a family of team sports that involve, to varying degrees, kicking a ...

in Port Harcourt,

Rivers State Rivers State, also known as Rivers, is a state in the Niger Delta region of southern Nigeria (Old Eastern Region). Formed in 1967, when it was split from the former Eastern Region, Rivers State borders include: Imo to the north, Abia and Akwa Ib ...

. It marked the first time the National Convention took place outside

Abuja Abuja () is the capital and eighth most populous city of Nigeria. Situated at the centre of the country within the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), it is a planned city built mainly in the 1980s based on a master plan by International Plann ...

, Nigeria's federal capital. The convention drew delegates from the 36 states, as well as the 12 governors of the PDP, national and state assembly members, former governors,

Board of Trustees A board of directors (commonly referred simply as the board) is an executive committee that jointly supervises the activities of an organization, which can be either a for-profit or a nonprofit organization such as a business, nonprofit organiz ...

members and former

National Working Committee The PDP National Working Committee, also known by its acronym NWC, is the executive committee of the People's Democratic Party in Nigeria. The NWC is composed of 12 members, all of whom are elected to a four-year term at the party's National Conve ...

members. Among those who graced the convention were the Deputy Senate President

Ike Ekweremadu Ike Ekweremadu (born 12 May 1962) is a Nigerian politician and lawyer from Enugu State who has served in the Senate of Nigeria since May 2003. He is a member of the People's Democratic Party, and was the Deputy President of the Nigerian Senate f ...

, Senator

Godswill Akpabio Chief Godswill Obot Akpabio, (born 9 December 1962), is a Nigerian lawyer and politician. He is the former Minister of Niger Delta Affairs as he resigned on 11 May 2022 on the direction of President Muhammadu Buhari to contest at presidentia ...

and former Senate President

David Mark David Alechenu Bonaventure Mark , is a retired Nigerian Army Brigadier General and politician. He was President of the Senate of Nigeria from 2007 to 2015 and was the Senator for Benue South Senatorial District Benue State. He is a member of the ...

. Although well attended, incumbent acting chair of the National Working Committee

Ali Modu Sheriff Ali Modu Sheriff (born 1956) is a Nigerian politician. He is Borno State's first governor to serve two consecutive terms (2003–2011). Though Sheriff had held two elected offices as a member of All Nigeria People's Party, he would later join t ...

withdrew from the event earlier that day. Sheriff had announced a postponement of the convention over legal issues. This however didn't go down well with some members who declared that the convention must go on as scheduled. After Sheriff's departure, the convention simply continued.

Ahmed Makarfi Ahmed Mohammed Makarfi (born 8 August 1956) is a Nigerian politician and the former Chairman of the People's Democratic Party. He was governor of Kaduna State in Nigeria from 29 May 1999 to 29 May 2007, and was elected Senator for Kaduna North in ...

, a former governor, was appointed alongside 6 others to replace Sheriff and the NWC in a caretaker capacity. They will run the affairs of the party until a National Working Committee is elected within 90 days.

Convention Committee

The Convention Committee was set up on 5 April 2016 to help plan, organize and coordinate the event. Members of the executive include

Ezenwo Nyesom Wike Ezenwo Nyesom Wike (born 13 December 1967), is a Nigerian politician and lawyer who is the sixth and current Governor of Rivers State. He is an Ikwerre from Rumuepirikom in Obio-Akpor, Rivers State. He is a member of the People's Democratic ...

(Chairman),

Darius Ishaku Darius Dickson Ishaku, FNIA, FNITP CON (born 30 July 1954) is a Nigerian architect, urban planner, university lecturer and politician. He is a member of the People's Democratic Party and the Governor of Taraba State. Early life Ishaku was bo ...

(Deputy Chairman) and

Dave Umahi David Nweze Umahi CON (born July 25, 1964) better known as Dave Umahi is a Nigerian politician who is currently serving as the Governor of Ebonyi State. Early life and education Umahi was born 25 July 1964. He is the son of Elder Joseph Uma ...

(Secretary). The committee's inaugural meeting was held at

Government House, Port Harcourt The Government House, also known as Brick House or Governor's House, is located at Old GRA, Port Harcourt in Rivers State, Nigeria. It is the official residence of the Rivers State chief executive, the head of government The head of gover ...

on 9 April 2016. The meeting had 17 of its prominent members in attendance.

National Caretaker Committee

The setting up of a Caretaker Committee to manage the affairs of the party prior to the election of a new National Working Committee was approved by delegates present at the convention venue. Chairperson of the Committee is former governor,

while the Secretary is

Ben Obi Ben is frequently used as a shortened version of the given names Benjamin, Benedict, Bennett or Benson, and is also a given name in its own right. Ben (in he, בֶּן, ''son of'') forms part of Hebrew surnames, e.g. Abraham ben Abraham ( he, ...

. Other members of the Committee include:

Odion Ugbesia Magnus Odion Ugbesia (born 28 January 1949) is a Nigerian politician who was elected to the Nigerian Senate in 2007 representing the Edo Central Senatorial District of Edo State on the platform of People's Democratic Party (PDP). Background ...

(Financial, Treasury and Audit), Prince Dayo Adeyeye (Publicity),

Abdul Ningi Abdul Ahmed Ningi (born , 1960) was a Deputy Majority Leader of the Nigerian Senate. A member of People's Democratic Party (PDP), he served as a Senator representing Bauchi central senatorial district from 2011 to 2015. Bauchi Central senato ...

(Organization and Mobilization), Aisha Aliyu (Women and Youth) and Barrister Kabiru Usman (Legal).

References

{{reflist 2010s in Rivers State 21st century in Port Harcourt Conventions in Rivers State Events in Port Harcourt Peoples Democratic Party (Nigeria) 2016 in Nigerian politics May 2016 events in Nigeria

Convention Committee

National Caretaker Committee

See also

References