The National Working Committee (NWC) of the Bamanga Tukur-led Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has declined support for request for a proposed 20-million–man march for president Goodluck Jonathan 2015 presidential ambitions.
It was learnt that the Tukur-led faction had already endorsed its support for the march but unexpected reversed its decision.
Tukur is said to have given his assent on September 18 through his Political Adviser, Umar Gada, to the group led by Obi Aguocha, which was planning the rally but the National chairman disapproved and denied giving a go-ahead to the march.
In a statement by the National Publicity Secretary of the party, Olisa Metuh, the PDP faction cancelled the proposed march saying that unfounded rumours has been spread in the media.
Metuh said: “Our attention has been drawn to unfounded rumours making the rounds in some sections of the media that the Peoples Democratic Party National Secretariat is involved in plans to organise a 20 million-man march to drum up support for candidates of the party in the 2015 elections.
Hence, he pointed out that the Tukur-led PDP has no hands in “any programme aimed at assembling that number of people in Abuja or any other part of Nigeria”.
It was stated categorically in response to several inquiries from members of the party across the globe that PDP at the National level is did not give approval for the activity.
“For the avoidance of doubt, no organ of the party at whatever level has the mandate of the National Secretariat to engage in any such activity”, Metuh said.
He maintained that the party has “no connection whatsoever with the group planning it”.
“Persons or groups wishing to involve the PDP in any activity are advised to seek the approval of the appropriate organs of the Party at various levels” he further advised..
However, the rally was said to have been slated to hold on October 17, but became a controversial issue during a meeting of the NWC of the Tukur-led PDP which later reversed its endorsement of the 20-million-man march.
In another development, the NWC has replaced the former National secretary Olagunsoye Oyinlola with Prof. Adewale Oladipo after the decision of the Federal High Court Abuja last week.
The party took the decision despite that Oyinlola filed for an appeal against the court judgment of January upon which he was removed from the position of the national secretary.
The party said that the swearing-in of Oladipo as the substantive National Secretary was done in obedience to court order, as the party takes the issue of rule of law seriously.
Metuh, on behalf of the NWC, stated that the decision was taken out of the party’s commitment to the rule of law since the party was already “served by a court judgement”.
“This party is a party that shows commitment to the rule of law and this party takes the issue of rule of law seriously and the swearing-in is done in obedience to the court order.”
“NWC had an urgent meeting this afternoon and after looking at the content, we unanimously decided to swear-in the National Secretary as ordered by Federal High Court”, he said yesterday.