The leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, may soon wield the big stick against the breakaway members of the party, including the seven aggrieved governors.
Thank you for reading this post, don't forget to subscribe!The governors have been he breakaway members of the party, including the seven aggrieved governors. The governors have been responsible for the polarisation of the party.
Preparatory to the punitive action against the erring members, a disciplinary committee headed by a Second Republic Minister of Transport, Dr. Umaru Dikko, was yesterday constituted.
Top on the list of the matters to be considered include the breakaway of some party leaders led by former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar and former Acting National Chairman, Kawu Baraje, which led to the formation of the new PDP.
Besides Atiku and Baraje, others likely to face the disciplinary panel are Governors Rotimi Amaechi (Rivers), Murtala Nyako (Niger), Babangida Aliyu (Niger), Rabiu Kwankwaso (Kano), Sule Lamido (Jigawa), Abdulfatah Ahmed (Kwara) and Aliyu Wamakko (Sokoto).
Some members of the National Assembly who have identified with the new PDP may also face the disciplinary action.
A source in the party said that the national leadership of the party was waiting for the outcome of the postponed reconciliation meeting before the panel invite the erring members.
“There are two options left to the breakaway party members. It is either they reconcile with the party or face sanctions.
“If they reconcile, they will be pardoned. If they fail to yield their grounds, they will be made to face disciplinary action which may lead either to suspension or expulsion from the party. Don’t forget that there are enough grounds to deal with them,” the source told National Mirror.
The party has also said that it will no longer engage the new PDP in war of words until after the new date fixed for the reconciliation meeting, hoping that the crisis will be settled amicably.
Speaking with journalists after its National Working Committee, NWC, meeting, PDP National Publicity Secretary, Chief Olisa Metuh, also confirmed that even the Presidency had decided not to make further comments on the lingering crisis.
While announcing the Dikko-led disciplinary committee, which will be inaugurated next week, Metuh said that Dikko was sound, hale and hearty and eager to assume the role the party had bestowed on him.
Dismissing the allegation that Dikko is still the National Chairman of the United Democratic Party, UDP, Metuh said that the octogenarian politician is a card-carrying member of PDP.
He said: “We are not responsible for the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC’s lapses. If they have not corrected their website, how is that the problem of PDP? But I can confirm to you that Umaru Dikko is a member of PDP.”
On his health condition, Metuh said: “Basically, every human being gets ill one time or the other because we are all mortals but I can tell you that Umaru Dikko is hale and hearty.”
Other members of the disciplinary committee are Chief Ebenezer Babatope (Deputy Chairman), Chief Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu, Alhaji Shuaibu Oyedokun, Hajiya Nana Aishat Quadir, Mr. Hussaini Kazaer while Onwe S. Onwe, who is the party’s Deputy National Secretary will serve as the committee’s secretary
Similarly, Akwa Ibom State Governor Godswill Akpabio will chair a 20-man National Finance Committee.
Other members include Governor Shehu Shema (Deputy Chairman), Senator Ike Ekweremadu, Senator Hope Uzodima, Hon. Bello Muhammed Matawalle, National Treasurer, National Financial Secretary, National Auditor, King A. J. Turner.
Meanwhile, Governor Aliyu yesterday said the ongoing efforts at resolving the crisis rocking the PDP would be followed to its logical conclusion, even as he warned President Goodluck Jonathan to be wary of ‘Lions in sheep’s clothing’ in the PDP.
Receiving the party’s Vice-Chairman (North Central), Mr. Yussuf Ayetogu in Minna, the Niger State capital, Aliyu said when there is injustice in the system, there is bound to be problems and the need to correct them.
He said: “We are discussing and negotiating; we will see the negotiation to its logical conclusion.
“Our idea is to reform the PDP. When there is no justice we will have problem; we need to sit down and make corrections.
“As a matter of principle, when autocracy and dictatorship take the place of democracy people with democratic minds must come out and act in defense of democracy.”
He explained that his position on the PDP crisis had been proven right, stressing that those that kicked against his support for President Jonathan in 2011 were now the same people taking advantage of the dispute for their selfish gain by pretending to be his friends.
“Nobody wants the President to be removed, all we are saying is that we should be democratic in all our dealings with each other,” he said.
Ayetogu called for the quick resolution of the crisis ahead of the 2015 election, adding that the North Central of the party had set up a committee to liaise with governors in the zone on how to resolve the dispute.
He added that presently the committee had met with the Benue State Governor Gabriel Suswam on the issue.
NATIONAL MIRROR
