A fresh crisis is brewing within the Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) with its 13-member Governors’ Forum recommending that the party’s National Working Committee (NWC) be sacked on the strength of the report of the Independent National Electoral Commission that the 2012 National Convention of the party which produced the party executive did not follow laid down rules.
The governors are asking President Goodluck Jonathan to take actions to ensure that the provisions of the report are complied with, or adverse legal consequences might develop from it in future.
It was gathered that the governors considered the INEC report in the forum’s meeting on Wednesday and resolved to press Jonathan to take immediate action to ensure that members of the NWC whose election breached the guidelines were made to resign and re-contest future NWC elections if they desire.
They are of the opinion that they should also be sacked or the PDP might be facing a “timed bomb”.
They also recommended that a political solution should be found to the problem.
It was also learnt that the governors briefed President Jonathan of their position when they met with him after their Wednesday meeting. However, it was not known how he reacted to their recommendations.
Earlier this month, INEC sent the report where it maintained that the process which produced 12 of the 16-member executive was in violation of paragraph 6.5(1) of the guidelines for the conduct of the 2012 congresses and national convention.
Members of PDP NWC whose election INEC said violated due process include the Deputy National Chairman, Sam Sam Jaja; National Organising Secretary, Abubakar Mustapha; Deputy National Organising Secretary, Okechukwu Nnadozie; National Publicity Secretary, Chief Olisa Metuh and Deputy National Publicity Secretary, Binta Goje.
Others are National Youth Leader, Garba Chiza; his Deputy, Dennis Alonge Niyi; Deputy National Auditor, Senator Umar Ibrahim; National Woman Leader, Kema Chikwe; her Deputy, Hannatu Ulam; deputy National Treasurer, Claudus Inengas; National Legal Adviser, Victor Kwon.
The only members of the executive whose elections INEC approved are the National Chairman, Alhaji Bamanga Tukur; sacked National Auditor, Bode Mustapha; Financial Secretary, Elder Bolaji Anani and sacked National Secretary, Olagunsoye Oyinlola.
Oyinlola has since been removed from his position on the orders of a Federal High Court following issues arising from the South West zonal congress of the PDP.
In his reaction to the report, the National Publicity Secretary of PDP, Chief Olisa Metuh, had described it as “abnormal and sinister.”
He had also wondered why the Commission was only just presenting a report when the convention which produced the present NWC had held since March 2012.
Metuh had noted that the report was questionable and accused INEC of conspiracy and mischief which he said was totally unacceptable to PDP.
He had assured that INEC was incapable of removing the present leadership of the party if that was the intention, saying, ‘’Is INEC a supervisory body? Why would INEC wait after a year? Why did it not say it after a week? They are incapable of removing any NWC member. There is nothing unconstitutional that we have done, NWC is not in conflict with the Presidency, with the PDP governors, also not in conflict with the leaders of the party in the Presidency and the National Assembly.
“We are confident that nothing will happen. We are focused in delivering good governance. The report is sinister, abnormal. There is conspiracy. Why is it coming now? What is the motive? Why now? Whose interest is INEC protecting? Who commissioned them? PDP is not INEC. Why the special interest in PDP? That is the question Nigerians should be asking INEC.”
Metuh had also warned that PDP would not allow those it referred to as reactionary forces to distract it from the efforts to provide the necessary leadership for Nigerians to realize their full potentials.
He had said, “Consequent upon our uncovering of plans by undemocratic elements to discredit and destabilize the leadership of our great party, National Working Committee (NWC) wishes to assure all our members that it remains committed and focused and will continue to provide the necessary political direction so that the policy frameworks contained in our manifesto are fully realized for the benefit of all Nigerians.
“The NWC will never allow reactionary elements to distract it and deter it from carrying out its constitutionally guaranteed duties.”