By Pita Chib, Minna

The Chairman, Caretaker Committee of the People's Democratic Party, PDP,  Niger State, Garba Umaru, has announced the dissolution of all the standing committees and electoral committees put in place by former state executive of the party, saying it was not incompliance with the rules governing such exercise.

Umaru made the dissolution known while addressing newsmen on the activities of the newly constituted Caretaker Committee at the party Secretariat, Minna

He said that all the standing committees and electoral committees of the party put in place by the former state executives have all completed their assignments and remain dissolved.

The Caretaker Chairman explained that, section 31(2) (j) and 49(3) of the constitution of the People's Democratic Party, 2017 as amended, empowers the National Executive Committee NEC, to make electoral regulations and guidelines to govern the conduct of election to all party offices at all levels.

He also disclosed that the People's Democratic Party PDP, has announced the zoning of all elective and party positions for the 2023 governorship election in Niger state.

According to him, "the party said that the governorship slot will now move from the Niger north senatorial zone to Niger South zone."

The governorship candidate of the party in the 2015 and 2019 governorship race is Umar Nasko from Magama Local Government Area in the Niger north senatorial zone which by the new arrangement is ruled out of the governorship contest

Umaru said the deputy governorship candidate of the party for the 2023 election will be picked from the Niger East senatorial zone.

He said the state Chairmanship of the party is retained in the Niger east senatorial zone where two people the immediate past state Chairman Tanko Beji and a chieftain of the party  Mukhtar Ahmed have signalled their intention to contest the slot.

"Under the party's zoning arrangement in the state the governorship position goes to Zone A and the Deputy governorship position goes to Zone B, whereas the party chairmanship position would remain in Zone B for the next four years after which it moves to Zone C

"This is to be strictly adhered to in the conduct of the committees activities towards the party's next congress and election of the Executive officers in the state"

Umaru said no date has been fixed for the state Congress of the party which he by  will be conducted by officials from the national working committee of the party.

He disclosed that the officials of the party at ward and local governments have all been returned on unopposed.

He promised to give the party purposeful leadership assuring also that the party will be transparent just free and fair in the conduct of all its activities.

Umaru asked members of the party to remain steadfast and continue to mobilise new members ahead of the forthcoming state and national elections.