Following the Peoples Democratic Party’s national convention held in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, eight out of the 12 members have said that they have accepted the outcome of the party’s national convention, which dissolved their committee.
This is coming even as the erstwhile Chairman Sen. Ali Modu Sheriff, the National Secretary, Prof. Wale Oladipo, and the National Auditor, Alhaji Fatai Adeyanju, are all insisting that they remain in office.
The three former officers are contesting their removal from office in court.
The eight former members of the National Working Committee of the party said in a statement jointly signed by them that they have resolved to support the party’s national caretaker committee headed by a former Governor of Kaduna State, Sen. Ahmed Makarfi.
The statement was signed by the former Deputy National Chairman, Prince Uche Secondus; Deputy National Secretary, Mr. Onwe Solomon Onwe; National Legal Adviser, Mr. Victor Kwon and the National Woman Leader, Dr. Kema Chikwe.
Others include a former National Youth Leader, Abdullahi Maibasira; National Financial Seccretary, Bolaji Anani and the National Treasurer, Alhaji Buhari Bala.
They said the party’s National Publicity Secretary, Chief Olisa Metuh, whom they said was “indisposed on health grounds”, had also agreed with the resolution.
It was however not clear why the National Organising Secretary, Alhaji Mustapha Abubakar, did not sign the statement.
The eight former officers of the party said that the national convention had the powers to dissolve the NWC and therefore, all actions taken there were in order.
The statement said, “The National caretaker committee constituted by the national convention on May 21, 2016, is fully within the powers of the national convention under section 33 (5) (e) of the party’s constitution.
“We recognise the Senator Ahmed Makarfi-led national caretaker committee of the PDP and offer the committee all our support and cooperation.
“As responsible and honourable party members who have had the privilege of serving the party at the highest level, we don’t support and are not party to any suit, action or activity seeking to challenge the decisions of the national convention in appointing the national caretaker committee or dissolving the former NWC, which had, at any rate, earlier agreed to go.
“In the absence of the then national chairman of the party, Senator Ali Modu Sheriff, the then deputy national chairman of the party, Prince Uche Secondus, presided over the convention in accordance with section 33 (1) (a), 35 (3) (b) of the constitution of the party.”
