There were indications Sunday that governors elected on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) have concluded plans to meet this week, to discuss the suspension of two of their members, Governors Rotimi Amaechi of Rivers State and his Sokoto State counterpart, Dr. Aliyu Wamakko, who were suspended by the National Working Committee (NWC) of the party for alleged anti-party activities.
But the National Chairman of the party, Alhaji Bamanga Tukur, has said the party was not harbouring any grudge against any member of the party, insisting that his leadership abhors indiscipline in all its ramifications.
While the NWC of the party in a statement signed by the National Publicity Secretary, Olisa Metuh, assured members of the party that it
was determined to resolve all contentious issues in the party, the party last week subjected its members of staff to oaths of secrecy session, which were administered by the Acting National Secretary of the party, Mr. Solomon Onwe.
In Kwara State, leaders of the PDP dismissed the alleged insinuation in the state that some forces in the presidency have finalised arrangement to hijack the party’s structure in the state.
However, a governor elected on the platform of the PDP, told THISDAY in confidence that all the governors of the party would meet this week to discuss some of the issues affecting the party, especially the ones that related to the suspension of the two governors by the NWC.
It was gathered from the governor that almost all the PDP governors were in Abuja, awaiting the arrival of the Chairman of the PDP Governors’ Forum, Governor Godswill Akpabio of Akwa Ibom State to fix the date of the meeting.
Meanwhile, concerned PDP Stakeholders in the Niger Delta and Ijaw Youth Groups have asked that the suspension of the Sokoto State Governor, Dr. Aliyu Wamakko, by the leadership of the PDP be rescinded in the interest of peace.
Addressing journalists in Yenagoa, the Bayelsa State capital, National Leader of the group, Chief Mike Ekayama Loyibo, and President of the coalition of IYG, Prince Ebikapaye Agidee, both feared that the suspension was capable of sending a wrong signal concerning the nation’s nascent democracy.
According to a source, “the PDP Governors’ Forum meeting will certainly take place this week. We are awaiting the arrival of the chairman. What is happening is giving the impression that President Goodluck Jonathan is fighting the governors that is why there is the suspension of the governors. So, we will meet to get down to the root of the crisis. Some of us are already in town.”
On the gale of suspensions within the party, Tukur said: “We harbour no malice against any member. We only do not want to be a flock without a shepherd. If we are not disciplined as a party, we certainly may not be able to produce the most progressive government in line with the greatest expectation of every Nigerian and the rest of the world.
“Right now, we are re-organising by way of bringing everyone to appreciate the constitution and manifesto of the party so that when we go into election in 2015, we can win landslide as a family in the election which will rank as the freest, most peaceful and most transparent in line with the desire of President Jonathan.”
The PDP chairman, in a statement he personally signed, said he had used his business links built over the years to identify the rating of Nigeria in the race among third world countries for membership of the United Nations Security Council, stating that: “I can say our rating is very high as a regional leader.”
He said the ability of Nigeria to clinch the ticket to be a member of the World Security Council depended on the success she achieves from her current war against terrorism, while also maintain her political stability.
While explaining the reasons for some of the decisions taken concerning the party’s affairs, the NWC assured its members that the happenings in the party were part of the processes of instilling discipline within the party as the party was not cut out for any witch-hunting mission against anybody.
In a statement signed by Metuh, the party said: “The Party is not unmindful of the feelings of members hence the need for this clarification. We assure that all the issues will be looked into and resolved amicably in line with the spirit of brotherliness and the guiding principles of our Party.
“We assure all members that the PDP remains the only national party committed to the welfare of the people for which it will continue to win elections across board. It will continue to exist as the party with structures in all wards, local governments and states in the federation where all are free to air their views and canvass their opinions.”
THISDAY gathered that the decision to administer the oaths of secrecy on the members of staff of the party may not be unconnected with perceived allegations that the members of staff were responsible for leaking of information to the press.
In a related development, a former governor of Kwara State and senator representing Kwara North at the National Assembly, Senator Muhammed Sha’aba Lafiagi, while fielding questions from journalists in Ilorin, described media report insinuating that the state party structure has been hijacked by the presidency as “absolutely untrue.”
Lafiagi, who spoke alongside the chairmen of the party in Kwara North, Alhaji Isiaka Oniwa; Alhaji S.O. Yusuf (Kwara South), and Alhaji Jimoh Adesina (Kwara Central) respectively, said: “I do not believe that the Chairman of the Federal Character Commission (FCC), Prof. Shuaib Oba AbdulRaheem, can be part of any plot to either hijack or polarise the PDP’s structure in the state. All the insinuations in the newspapers, I do not believe. I do not believe also that the PDP at the national level can do anything negative against its own in the state.”
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