Festus Keyamo has challenged the leadership of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) and threatened to take them to court if nothing is done to address its recent purported move to deprive the Governor of Adamawa state Bala James Nggilari from contesting in the gubernatorial election in the sate come 2015.
In a letter dated Monday 17th of November, 2014, signed by Festus Keyamo and made available to news agencies, he extolled the virtues of Nggilari as a committed member of the PDP since the inception of the party in 1999 stating that despite the challenges he faced after the defection of his erstwhile boss and impeached former governor of Adamawa state Muritala Nyako to the All progressives Congress APC, remained with the PDP.
The letter then stated that while the Governor was in court to pursue his right to become Governor after the impeachment of Muritala Nyako and a purported resignation letter which he was alleged to have written, that some stake holders of the PDP in Adamawa state met and decided to zone the gubernatorial seat in the upcoming 2015 elections to Adamawa central senatorial district a move which did not favour Nggilari since he is not from that zone.
It read, “Consequently, on or about Thursday, October 30, 2014, the National Working Committee of your Party issued a statement that the zoning of the Governorship to Adamawa Central Senatorial District (which was done in our client’s absence from office) remains sacrosanct. The implication of this is that our client has been schemed out of the race since he is not from Adamawa Central, but from Adamawa North Senatorial District”.
He wondered why Nggilari is been excluded from the promise made by the PDP chairman during president Goodluck Ebele Jonathan’s declaration that the party was going to extend the same gesture they gave to the president to other PDP governors by either giving them automatic tickets or the right to first refusal. It reminded the PDP that no sitting governor eligible to contest has ever been denied of the ticket since 1999 with the only exception being Chinwoke Mbadinuju of Anambra state in 2003 an action he pointed out is responsible for the PDP losing Anambra state to other political parties since then.
The letter pointed out that there is no such thing as senatorial district zoning of governors in the state right from when it was part of the old Gongola state up till now pointing out that the only unwritten kind of zoning that exists is the one between the Muslims and the Christians. This arrangement according to the letter saw to the emergence of Boni Haruna a Christian who was Governor between 1999 till 2007 and Muritala Nyako a Muslim who was almost completing his eight years in office before he was impeached. It then pointed out that now it is the turn of another Christian of which Nggilari is one.
Citing the constitution of the Federal republic of Nigeria, the letter stated;
“that the decision of PDP on zoning so as to deprive our client of his right to contest the gubernatorial election is against the spirit and letters of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria which we have all sworn to uphold and which is superior to your internal Party schemes and policies. For the avoidance of doubt, Section 1(1), (2) and (3) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) states as follows:
“(1) This Constitution is supreme and its provisions shall have binding force on all authorities and persons throughout the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
(2) The Federal Republic of Nigeria shall not be governed, nor shall any person or group of persons take control of the government of Nigeria or any part thereof, except in accordance with the provisions of this Constitution.
(3) If any other law is inconsistent with the provisions of this constitution, shall prevail, and that other law shall to extent of the inconsistency be void.”
It further pointed out that the Governor was never invited to any of the party meetings during which decisions that have now affected him was taken stating that this is contrary to section 36 (2)(a) of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (As amended) and therefore declared such steps as illegal.
“From the above, you will see that the purported official position of the National Working Committee of your Party to scheme our client out of the gubernatorial race on account of his ethnic background (Adamawa North) is illegal, unconstitutional, null and void” it read.
The chambers informed the leadership of the PDP that this was a warning letter urging them to address the issue within forty eight hours of receiving the letter or face a legal battle.
