Some leaders of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) under the aegis of Concerned PDP Stakeholders on Thursday constituted a 21-member steering committee to manage the affairs of the party.
The information is contained in a communiqué issued by the group at the end of a summit entitled ”Restoring PDP Moral Compass to the Ideals of Our Founding Fathers and Expectations” held in Abuja.
The communiqué was signed by the group’s Co-Chairmen: Sen. Ibrahim Mantu and Prof. Tunde Adeniran.
In the communique, the group noted that “we, the founding fathers, stakeholders and leaders of the party from all the six geo-political zones hereby announce a 21-member steering committee to manage the affairs of the PDP.
“The committee will work intimately with our respected members of Board of Trustee (BOT) who are the conscience of
the party.”
The group stated that as a coalition of all concerned groups within PDP, the leaders met to review the state of affairs of the party, following the aftermath of the 2015 general elections in Nigeria.
They noted that the steering committee was important in order to stop further slide into unconstitutional confusion and widespread disenchantment of PDP members nationwide.
“The committee will work with the BOT till such a time that a proper, lawfully organised National Convention of the party, where a new authentic leadership of the party will be duly elected’’.
The group said that the exercise would be done in accordance with the provisions of the party’s constitution and guidelines.
It added that the committee would immediately put in place a National Reconciliation Committee to reconcile all previously aggrieved party members.
“The new steering committee will soon embark on a nationwide tour to address and resolve all issues and areas of conflict in every state of the federation,” it added.
The group of concerned PDP leaders noted that at the expiration of the tenure of the members of the PDP NWC on March 24, 2016, a national convention to elect new executives ought to have taken place.
“A national convention to elect the new executives ought to have taken place or a caretaker committee put in place to run the affairs of the party till the party holds its convention.
It stated that the purported extension of the tenure of the Chairman and other members of the NWC by the party NEC was an illegality, untenable and contrary to the provisions of PDP Constitution.
“Following the above therefore, all actions purportedly taken by the said NEC and the NWC constitute a nullity and are of no effect.
“The actions include; the Ward, Local Government, State Congresses and the planned National Convention of the Party slated for May 21 in Port Harcourt.
“The zoning arrangement as announced by the chairman of the ‘purported’ Zoning Committee, headed by the Governor of Akwa-Ibom, Emmanuel Udom, is unacceptable.
“The zoning clearly runs contrary to our party’s established principles and practice, which have sustained the party in continuous unity for the last 18 years.”
The PDP leaders recommended that the party’s BOT be further strengthened and empowered to function effectively “as the true conscience of our great party.”
They called on the elected officials of PDP such as governors, senators, House of Representatives members and State Houses of Assembly members to ‘’take up the gauntlet and support the group’s noble cause.
“We need to come together as a family to fight the cancer of impunity that has eaten deep into the tissues of our party.”