The festering crisis in the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on saturday reached the boiling point as former vice president Atiku Abubakar, seven governors and delegates from their respective states staged a walkout from the venue of the special convention.
They converged immediately at the Shehu Musa Yar’Adua Centre and announced the birth of a new PDP with former national secretary of the PDP, Alhaji Kawu Baraje, Dr Sam Sam Jaja and Olagunsoye Oyinlola as national chairman, deputy national chairman and national secretary respectively.
The seven governors are Sule Lamido (Jigawa), Babangida Muazu Aliyu (Niger), Aliyu Wamakko (Sokoto), Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso (Kano), Murtala Nyako (Adamawa) Abdulfatah Ahmed (Kwara) and Rotimi Amaechi (Rivers).
Apart from the deputy governor of Rivers State, Tele Ikuru, all the deputies of the six other states were at the Yar’Adua Centre where the birth of the parallel PDP was announced.
Curiously, former president Olusegun Obasanjo and former military president, Gen. Ibrahim Babangida were absent at the convention.
Speaking on the birth of the new PDP, Baraje chided the presidency for encouraging its national chairman, Alhaji Bamanga Tukur to perpetrate arbitrariness in the ruling party, saying the formation of the new platform became imperative as all complaints were unheeded.
“We address you today (yesterday) as leaders of PDP, who are worried by the increasing repression, restriction of freedom of association, arbitrary suspension of members and other such violations of democratic principles by a faction of our party led by Alhaji Tukur.
“While we have done everything humanly possible to bring to the attention of critical stakeholders within the party the dangers inherent in the course being charted by that leadership, it has become very clear that the desperate permutations towards 2015 general elections have blinded certain people from the consequences of their actions.
“Not only has the constitution of the party been serially destroyed by Alhaji Tukur and his fellow travellers, all the organs of the party have been rendered virtually ineffectual by a few people who act as though above the law. Unfortunately, it is obvious that they get encouragement from the presidency whose old calculations are geared towards shutting out any real or imagined opposition ahead of the party’s presidential primaries for the 2015 elections.
“As leaders of our great party, we consider it a sacred responsibility to save the PDP from the antics of a few desperadoes who have no democratic temperament and are therefore bent on hijacking the party for selfish ends. While the list of their violations of the tenets of our great party is long, we will highlight just a few:
*The National Executive Committee of the PDP at its belated meeting June 20, 2013 approved July 20, 2013 for the conduct of a special national convention. However, that date was changed to August 31 without reverting to NEC (the only authority vested with such powers) by a few people, apparently acting on the authority of the presidency.
*Notwithstanding the fact that INEC had noted that the PDP congresses in nine states were not properly conducted, the illegal delegates from such states are being paraded at the so-called convention being held today in a cynical attempt to circumvent the law and further bring the name of the party to disrepute.
*In gross violation of the PDP constitution which stipulates that the NEC meeting must hold at least once in a quarter, Alhaji Tukur and a few people have been running the party like a personal fiefdom without recourse to that important decision-making organ of the party.
*The NEC of the party accepted the resignation of the former members of the NWC whose offices were affected by INEC observations based principally on the agreement that the affected officers would be returned to their respective offices at the convention. However, against the decision of the NEC and in a not-so-clever bid to exclude some perceived opponents of the few powerful members who are trying to hijack the party, these positions have been made open to some Yes-men within the party.
*Notwithstanding INEC insistence that Senator Any Uba is the duly elected candidate of the party in Anambra State and against the background that he is so recognized by majority of our party members, the Bamanga Tukur-led executives announced the purported suspension of Senator Uba and some other members close to him in defiance of subsisting court orders.
*Despite that the PDP constitution is very clear that the state chapter of the party cannot discipline a national officer, the deputy national chairman, Mr. Sam Jaja, has reportedly been dismissed by some renegades who have hijacked the Rivers State chapter of our party with the connivance of the Bamanga Tukur leadership.
*The persistent change in the list of the party’s delegates in many states as part of a deliberate attempt to rig the party’s nomination of candidates, especially at the presidential and gubernatorial levels, with a view to foisting on the PDP some unpopular candidates who are bound to lose at the polls.
*The suspension without due process of the governors of Rivers and Sokoto states. Even when the illegal senior on Sokoto State Governor has been lifted, the Rivers Governor remains purportedly suspended for no just cause.
*The illegal dissolution of the Adamawa State chapter of the party is a clear abuse of power by Alhaji Bamanga Tukur thus causing confusion in his home state.
Given the foregoing, it is very clear that the Tukur leadership cannot guarantee for our millions of party members democracy anchored on free choice and the rule of law. We have therefore taken it upon ourselves to rescue the party from their dictatorial leadership.
Parallel PDP Illegal - Tukur
“The PDP does not recognize any parallel party. Those who staged the walkout and organised kangaroo meeting are all self-seeking and treacherous individual pursuing neither regional nor religious agenda except their own agenda, except their own personal interest.
“Their attempt to create a parallel party is illegal as there is no crisis within the PDP whatsoever. They were all active participants in the setting up of this convention. And many of them were with the president and rode with him to the convention venue and joined him in the salutation of all the delegates including their state delegates.
“The PDP is studying the situation as it unfolds and will deal decisively as the situation warrants.
“It is obvious that they are creating a crisis where there is none to give the impression that the party is divided. This in their thinking will allow them persuade loyal members of the National Assembly to cross carpet with them. We will resist this,” Tukur said.
“From now, the new leadership of the party under us will strive to build a fairer as well as a more transparent and accountable PDP that will putty interest of members and indeed all the people of Nigeria above that of one single individual.
“As we take over the leadership of the PDP, our immediate priority is to revive the culture of robust debate of all contending issues while providing a level-playing field for all our members. These were the ideals that differentiated our party from others and endeared us to Nigerians.
LEADERSHIP NEWS gathered that the decision of the 7 governors and Atiku to form a splinter PDP had been in the offing for over three months.
However, the immediate reason for the walkout, it was learnt, was the sudden disqualification of Jaja from contesting the position of the PDP’s national deputy chairman for which he had been cleared by the party’s screening committee.
At the Eagle Square venue of the PDP convention, Obasanjo, who had made frantic efforts three weeks ago to settle the crisis in the party was absent. Also absent was Gen. Babangida who was consulted by the five northern PDP governors in the course of their nationwide tour to mediate in the crisis.
But a source said Obasanjo might have stayed away from the convention to register his protest with the alleged discrimination against some aspirants who are against the second term bid of President Goodluck Jonathan.
LEADERSHIP NEWS gathered that Babangida was out of the country as at the time of the convention.
Nwoye, Uba supporters clash
It was a free-for-all as supporters of Chris Uba and the factional governorship candidate of the PDP in Anambra State, Tony Nwoye, exchanged blows. Their grouse was: who is the recognised leader of the party in the state?
The fight started when Chris Uba arrived at the venue with his supporters and was deprived by supporters of Nwoye from seating in the front row designated for leaders of the party in the state.
Chris Uba supporters insisted that Uba would seat, a situation that resulted in a free-for-all. Security details at the section allocated to Anambra State could not quell the situation.
Minister of Aviation, Stella Oduah had to walk out of the vicinity. It took the intervention of the PDP former national publicity secretary Oliseh Metu who pleaded with them to be calm.
Although Andy Uba was not present while the upraor went on, Chris and Nwoye ended up seating together at the slots for leaders of the party.
Those criticising PDP are pretenders - Jonathan
President Goodluck Jonathan yesterday descended heavily on critics of the PDP, saying they were pretenders who have refused to admit the fact that the party had achieved tremendously in line with its promises to Nigerians since it came to power in 1999. According to him, apart from boasting as the only party that has retained its identity since three parties were registered in 1998, the PDP remained the only party that is not align to any ethic, religious or regional interest.
Jonathan noted that, while other parties have imploded or have their identities subsumed in search of political direction and relevance, the PDP stood the test of time.
Stressing, Jonathan said, “We are bound together by the love of God and the Love of our dear country. We have very promising years ahead of us as we continue to transform our great nation. We must continue to do this as we work in one accord and unity.
“Ours is not only the party of the present, but is the party of the future. It is very clear that we are the party destined to take Nigeria to greatness. We are the party that holds the interest of Nigerians dearly at heart. We do not pursue divisible policies, we do not preach hate, we reject violence, we reject killings, we recognise Nigeria as one indivisible entity; we deplore ethnic distrust among our great people.
He added, as the biggest party in Africa that is truly nationalistic in nature, PDP would not disappoint Nigerians, just as he reaffirmed the party’s commitment to internal democracy and belief in the rule of law.
Sambo, Tukur speak
Tukur said the ruling party will always triumph over real or imaginary opposition.
He asked party members to resist any divisive distractions, adding that there is no disagreement that cannot be resolved.
Tukur also cautioned that members should have a culture of discipline, adding that “party discipline is an integral part of life” and that members should “recommit themselves to the ideals of the founding fathers”
He underscored the significance of the convention and called on the members to ensure that transparency and due process reigns in the party. Five northern governors, however, went to pay homage to President Goodluck Jonathan at the VIP lounge.
In his goodwill message, the party’s Board of Trustees (BoT) chairman, Chief Anthony Anenih said: “We are demonstrating to the world that PDP is strongly committed to the culture of democracy. This special convention is showing to the world that we believe in internal democracy, which means the right of the people across the country to choose those who will manage their affairs of the party.
“As chairman, Board of Trustees of the PDP, my focus has always been on reconciliation, party cohesion and discipline. It is true that given the enormous size and spread of the party, there are bound to be challenges in this organisation. However, you will agree with me that recent problems of indiscipline are weighing heavily and affecting the smooth operations of the party in nearly all of its chapters. We have a strategic obligation to put our house in order to retain our dominant position in the Nigerian political system and continue to be a stabilizing force in the Nigerian democracy.
Vice President Namadi Sambo, said critics of the party cannot fault its resolve to provide an environment for the conduct of free and fair election.
Sambo however called on aspirants in the elections to play by the rules and “accept the result in good fate,” adding that there would be no victor no vanquished.
PDM congratulates PDP faction
Meanwhile, the Peoples Democratic Movement (PDM) has congratulated the splinter group of the PDP, saying, the reasons for the formation of the new PDP informed the registration of the PDM as a political party.
The Interim national chairman of the party, Bashir Yusuf told LEADERSHIP NEWS that PDM will partner with all true democrats party to make Nigeria great.
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