The Peoples Democratic Party Board of Trustees (BOT) has urged leaders and members of the party to remain calm and resolute as the party pursued its post election litigation at the Presidential Election Tribunal.
The BOT Chairman, Sen. Walid Jubrin made the call in his remark at the 86th emergency National Executive Council (NEC) meeting at the party’s national headquarters on Thursday in Abuja.
“While we pursue our cases in the tribunal, I urge our members to remain calm, resolute and steadfast without causing any violence but at the same time, continue to follow all legal and legitimate ways in pursuing our cases,” he said.
Jubrin expressed optimism that PDP would come back to rule Nigeria again.
“PDP will soon come back to rule Nigeria again. Our party has confidence in the judiciary,” he said.
The Supreme Court judgment in Zamafara State was a demonstration that the judiciary was still independent.
He urged members to be loyal to the party with the belief that the party was supreme and above any member.
The BOT Chairman assured party members that there would be no room for cabal in the PDP.
Jubrin expressed the board’s disappointment in the election of the National Assembly, saying they had submitted their recommendations to the party National Working Committee (NWC) for necessary actions.
The party’s National Chairman, Mr Uche Secondus said its performance at the governorship level remained outstanding.
Secondus added that the party’s flag bearers and their lawyers were currently in various election tribunals across the country, trying to fight for their rights.
“We are hopeful that by the grace of God and with God fearing judges and Justices, the will of the people will eventually prevail,” he said.
Secondus congratulated the leadership of the National Assembly for the wonderful job they did especially in maintaining the independence of the legislature and sustaining the doctrine of separation of powers.
He, however, expressed the party’s disappointment on the “embarrassing roles of some” PDP members at the 9th National Assembly during the election of their leaders.
“Party loyalty demands that you stick to your party at any given situation. When personal interests clash with party interest, personal should drown into that of the party, that’s what real democrats are expected to do,” he further said.
The Minority Leader of the Senate, Sen. Enyinnaya Abaribe, (Abia South) pledged that PDP lawmakers would be up to the challenge and will do everything possible to keep the APC on its toes.
“If you keep silent, in the face of evil, you are also evil. If you refuse to speak, you have also spoken by refusing to speak.
” If you refuse to act, you have also acted by refusing to act.
“I want to tell you, members of NEC, we will speak, we will act and we will do everything necessary to make sure that the APC government does not get away with whatever they want to do,” abaribe said.
The former Speaker of the House of Representative, Yakubu Dogara, appreciated the party for the support it extended to him when he presided over the lower chamber, describing it as heartwarming.
Dogora commended the party for standing together, saying “I believe if we would continue to work in unity, certainly we would get there”.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the meeting was attended by members of the party, present and past National Working Committees, past governors and lawmakers.
Meanwhile, no member of the PDP governors forum was present at the meeting as they were reported to still be at the National Executive Council (NEC) meeting. (NAN)