Two warring factions in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), have yesterday intensified moves to hold parallel conventions to elect new national leaders of the party.

One of the factions is led by the party’s national chairman, Ali Modu Sheriff, while the other is led by former minister of Information, Prof Jerry Gana.
Gana’s faction boycotted the National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting of the party, which was held yesterday at the party’s national secretariat in Abuja.
A senior official of the party, who spoke in confidence, said the crack in the PDP has taken another dimension, after a purported truce reached on Monday, when Sheriff and the Concerned Stakeholders reached a truce.
“I must tell you this, but don’t quote me, please. Some stakeholders are planning to hold another convention in Abuja, and I think some people will buy into it. For some obvious reasons, many stakeholders would not want to‎ go to Port Harcourt,” he said.
The Concerned Stakeholders have reportedly met in an undisclosed location in Abuja, where they fine-tuned their strategies.
It was gathered that the group would name its convention chairman in two days’ time.
Daily Trust also gathered that the stakeholders have appointed state coordinators, who would mobilise support for the Abuja convention.
The Prof Gana group include the likes of former deputy Senate President, Ibrahim Mantu, former minister of Special Duties, Alhaji Kabiru Tanimu Turaki‎; Chief Chike Undenwa and Chief Raymond Dokpesi among others.
It was gathered that the Sheriff-led group has also resolved to go ahead with its Saturday’s election in Port Harcourt.
Addressing newsmen at the end of the PDP NEC meeting, Sheriff said the Port Harcourt convention would be the “finest”.
He said at the convention, delegates would confirm the zoning of the party’s presidential candidate to the North, while in 2018, when the mid-term convention of the party would be convened, the delegates would agree to produce the party’s national chairman from the South.
Sheriff also called on the APC led federal government to probe the 2015 campaign fund of all political parties.
“About 20 of our members are being investigated in the name of probing our campaign funds. We are not against investigation of anyone, but, it should cut across all the political parties,” he said.