The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on Monday declared that certain members of the National Working Committee (NWC) of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) emerged in an “unacceptable” manner from last year’s national convention of the party — a pronouncement that will further fester the crisis in the ruling party.
The INEC report was signed by team leader to the PDP national convention, Col. M.K. Hammanga (rtd) and Dame Gladys Nne Nwafor; Director, Political Parties Monitoring and Liaison (PPML), Regina Omo-Agege; Director, Public Affairs, Emmanuel Umenger; Chief Legal Officer, Nnamdi Nwaeze; Deputy Director (PPML), Babalola O.O.; Aminu K. Idris; and Assistant Director, PPML, Pricilla Ezeigwe.
Other members of the committee include the chief administrative officer, PPML, Nkechinyere Abuh; principal administrative officer (PAO), PPML, Sefiya; PAO, Training and Bulus D. Davou.
According to INEC, the process that produced 12 of the 16-man executive council contravenes Paragraph 6.5 (1) of the guidelines for the conduct of the 2012 congresses and national convention, as it clearly states that nobody should emerge unopposed.
“The mode of election adopted for single candidates was not in accordance with the mode of election stipulated in paragraph 6.5 (i) of the guidelines for the conduct of the year 2012 congresses and national convention and, therefore, not acceptable to the commission,” Acting Director (Legal) of INEC, Ibrahim Bawa said.
The national officers whose election has been called to question include Deputy National Chairman, Dr. Sam Sam Jaja; National Organising Secretary, Abubakar Mustapha; Deputy National Organising Sceretary, Okechukwu Nnadozie; National Publicity Secretary, Chief Olisa Metuh; and Deputy National Publicity Secretary, Binta Goje.
Others are National Youth Leader, Alhaji Garba Chiza; Deputy National Youth Leader, Dennis Alonge Niyi; Deputy National Auditor, Senator Umar Ibrahim; National Women Leader, Kema Chikwe, Deputy National Women Leader, Hannatu Ulam; Deputy National Treasurer, Claudus Inengas; and National Legal Adviser, Victor Kwom.
Four other members of the NWC — National Chairman, Bamanga Tukur; suspended National Secretary, Olagunsoye Oyinlola; sacked National Auditor, Bode Mustapha; and National Financial Secretary, Elder Bolaji Anani — were cleared as duly elected.
But in its reaction, PDP described the report as a deliberate plot by certain elements working with officials of the electoral body and the Judiciary to undermine the party.
“We wish to alert Nigerians to a destructive plot by certain reactionary forces who, working hand in glove with collaborators in the INEC, have manufactured a spurious report, specifically aimed at destroying the credibility of the party’s 2012 national convention which brought in the current NWC, using judicial officers of questionable integrity,” National Publicity Scretary, Olisa Metuh wrote in a statement.
“Till date, the PDP remains the only political party in the country that conducts transparent internal elections which start with the ward, local government and state congresses, culminating in the national convention. The 2012 exercise was not only unique in the level of participation of party members, but in the rancour-free, sportsman-like attitude which various contestants exhibited.
“The current NWC, since inauguration, has maintained a sound working rhythm with the members and critical stakeholders, the President, the National Assembly which the party controls and the PDP State governors whose newly formed forum – engineered by the party leadership, is already sending cold shivers to and causing problems in the opposition camp.”
The statement further pointed to the recently concluded peace and reconciliation tour of the party’s NWC and the complementary peace initiatives by the chairman of the PDP Board of Trustees as evidence that the party was on a healthy patch and, therefore, wondered whose selfish interest the INEC report was meant to serve.
“In whose interest, therefore, are these system vampires fighting? In whose interest and at whose behest are these merchants of infamy laying these mines, which could blow our great party sky-high?” the statement asked. “It is no doubt in the service of selfish interest of this tiny clique of politicians of fortune, those whose ambition must be served or the party crumbles.”
Also, the National Working Committee promised never to allow reactionary elements distract it and deter it from carrying out its constitutionally guaranteed duties, saying that in furtherance to its determination to ensure that all apparatuses of government fully deliver on their mandates, all federal ministers have been invited to appear before the NWC to give comprehensive account of their stewardship to the Nigerian people in pursuance of the mandate given to President Goodluck Jonathan and the manifesto of the PDP.
The ministerial briefings will hold from Tuesday 9th April 2013 to Thursday 30th May 2013, featuring the likes of Minister of Works, Arc. Mike Onolomemen and Minister of Youth Development, Alhaji Inuwa Abdulkadir on Tuesday; and Minister of Water Resources, Mrs. Sarah Ochekpe and Minister of Mines and Steel Development, Arc Mohammed Musa Sada on Thursday.
Already, the party has briefed its lawyer in a suit filed in an FCT High Court by Hon. Abba K. Yale, Alhaji Yahaya Aruwa Sule and Basher Maidugu against eight members of NWC for their failure to meet the needed constitutional requirement to stay in office as national officials of the PDP.
Since the legal dispute is anchored on the INEC report, the offices whose holders were rejected will be dissolved and the National Executive Commission (NEC) of the party would hold a fresh convention, since the four officers whose election were upheld cannot form a quorum to run the party.
