The ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) yesterday reviewed the crises that have engulfed the party, especially the National Working Committee (NWC) led by Alhaji Bamanga Tukur, and admitted that it had challenges.
This is even as the party confirmed LEADERSHIP Sunday’s story that it would convene its National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting ‘after the Easter break’ to address the numerous contending issues bothering the party.
LEADERSHIP had reported that the Presidency would convince the NWC of the party to convene a NEC meeting, which the Tukur-led NWC had shied away from convening over one year of coming to office, which is a contravention of the party’s constitution.
The thinking of the Presidency is that the meeting would afford all the groups in the crises the opportunity to air their grievances.
Speaking to a select group of journalists yesterday in Abuja, the national publicity secretary of the party, Chief Olisa Metuh, listed the challenges the NWC was grappling with to include the unresolved crisis in the Adamawa PDP chapter which, he admitted, pitched PDP governors against the national chairman, Alhaji Tukur, who incidentally hails from that state.
Speaking on the Adamawa crisis, Metuh said: “The governors of our party are insisting on rallying round their colleague. Our position is that due process should be followed.
The committee set up by President Jonathan to look into the matter, and chaired by Governor Sule Lamido of Jigawa State, will submit its report on Thursday (today).
Another issue, the PDP spokesman pointed out, is the crisis in the southwest chapter of the party, especially as it concerns the removal of the former national secretary, Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola, from office.
He said that the party would abide by whatever decision the court gives.
On the party’s inability to convene a NEC meeting, Metuh attributed the delay to ‘force majure’.
According to him, “As the longest serving member of the NWC, I’m a beat embarrassed by the development.
There is something in law called ‘force majure’. The reconstitution of the party’s Board of Trustees (BoT) took some months, the same for the reconstitution of the National Caucus of the party.
These constituted force majure. Once the Easter break is over, I can tell you authoritatively that we will convene the NEC meeting.”
He denied reports that the party wanted to amend its constitution to give President Goodluck Jonathan and other first-term governors the right of first refusal for their nomination for a second term in office.
“The right of first refusal is above NEC. It is the responsibility of the party’s national convention.
Nobody has ever mentioned it to the NWC. As far as the PDP constitution is concerned, there will be primaries. We cannot go against the constitution,”