....... Battle for the soul of the party
Pending any last minute intervention, the warring camps within the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) are poised for a showdown at the National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting which is less than 24 hours away.
Checks reveal that the camps led by former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and Federal Capital Territory (FCT) minister, Nyesom Wike, are locked in for a showdown of sorts.
It was learnt that both sides, battling for the soul of the party, have refused to yield ground, in the tussle that hopes to define the party’s stature ahead of the 2027 election.
The tussle between both camps crystallised in the demand for acting national chairman, Ambassador Illiya Damagum’s resignation and the emergence of an acting national chairman from the North Central geo-political zone as originally planned by the party.
However, there are hopes by some party members, who spoke to LEADERSHIP on condition of anonymity, that the party’s caucus and Board of Trustees (BoT) will meet on Wednesday and Thursday respectively.
The caucus, which comprises the PDP governors, former party leaders, some BoT members, and ranking party lawmakers, is regarded as the nucleus of top decision making of the party. The BoT, on the other hand, comprises elders of the party.
This comes as an advocacy group within the PDP, named PDP100%, has urged the NEC to ask Atiku to forgo his 2027 ambition and suspend Wike from all party activities, saying such decision will serve as the panacea to the raging imbroglio in the party.
The National Working Committee (NWC) was locked in a meeting yesterday in Wadata House, the party’s national headquarters, ahead of the NEC meeting.
A party source said that the meeting was “to brainstorm for the NEC meeting and ensure a hitch-free engageent.”
When asked if they anticipated a stormy session, the party source said, ‘’Well it’s a party; we know there have been heated agitations, but PDP is a mature party with mature minds. We will deliberate on the issues and eventually reach a resolution.
“I still believe, as most people do, that PDP has a conflict resolution mechanism and with the level of experienced members we have, we will come out better at the end of the day, “the party leader said.
But this position contrasts with what transpired at the meeting of the PDP Caucus in the House of Representatives which ended in commotion as the lawmakers remained sharply divided along the lines of pro-and anti-Damagum.
The meeting convened by the leader of the Caucus and House Minority Leader, Hon. Kingsley Chinda was held on Tuesday at House Committee Room 301, National Assembly Complex Abuja ahead of Thursday’s NEC meeting of the party.
But the main agenda of the Pre-NEC meeting which was to pass a vote of confidence on Damagun by lawmakers loyal to the FCT Minister Nyesom Wike could not sail through.
This was as a group of over 60 lawmakers under the auspices of the Opposition Lawmakers Coalition maintained their ground that the acting chairman should resign and someone from the North-Central zone take the position.
They also insisted on the expulsion of Wike and any other politician involved in anti-party activities.
Last week, a group of 60 PDP federal lawmakers threatened to quit the party if the doctored list of Caretaker Committees in Rivers State and 10 other states which was filled with members and loyalist of the All Progressive Congress (APC) is not nullified.
The group, under the aegis of Opposition Lawmakers Coalition, also demanded the resignation of the acting chairman of PDP, Damagum, to pave the way for a North Central person to emerge as acting chairman of the party pending the conduct of a convention as required by the party’s constitution.
The Opposition Lawmakers Coalition, at a press conference, addressed by their spokesperson and the member representing Ideato Federal constituency in the House of Representatives, Hon. Ikenga Imo Ugochinyere, said they cannot be in a political party where the activities of such party are determined by another political party.
A member of the Hon Ikenga Ugochinyere-led coalition, who revealed the outcome of the meeting on the condition of anonymity, said the move to pass a vote of confidence on Damagun failed.
The lawmaker said: “We are glad that the plan of the pro-Wike group supporting Damagun fell like a pack of cards as we refused all entreaties to perpetuate illegality and continue stoking crisis in the party. Our position remains that Damagun must go for someone from North-central to take over and complete Ayu’s tenure.
“Our party needs total overhaul and reformation. We currently have in the PDP a national leadership that is in bed with the APC and is working extremely hard to hand over the party to the APC. This is quite shameful and disheartening, but we won’t fold our hands and let that happen.
“We are, aside other demands, insisting on 100 percent formation of caretaker PDP executive list at all levels without any tampering or inclusion of new names outside the earlier resolution that members of the expiring excos should act as caretaker for three months pending the conduct of substantive election. Our party will not be overtaken by APC; we are here to serve the Nigerian people not the whims and caprices of some selfish politicians.”
However, addressing journalists after the meeting, the minority leader, Chinda, said the PDP caucus was united, indivisible committed and out to perform its duty as the watchdog on behalf of Nigerians.
He said, “In the same vein, we x-rayed the security situation in the country and resolved that we can no longer accept the situation where Nigeria is today tagged one life, one minute silence. The government is therefore called upon to immediately take steps to ensure that the security situation in the country is normalised and the caucus has also given a three month ultimatum for the government to normalise the security situation in our country.
“After three months, the caucus will take further steps to sensitise and mobilise Nigerians to perhaps take their security in their hands.”
The House caucus also agreed to call on all party caucuses, the Board of Trustees, National Executive Committee and the National Working Committee of the party to embark on reconciliation measures with a view to resolving all litigation that are pending and have hindered the party from having a substantive national chairman.
“We call on our leaders in the PDP to continue to demonstrate unconditional loyalty to the party and ensure that the party reclaims her pride of place where she enjoys the position of the largest party in Africa and for us to take back the Aso Villa which actually was supposed to be our birthright.
“For us, we are going back as we resume the session to commence a strong, virile and purpose-driven opposition to give the people a voice in the parliament. We also call on the Senate leadership to please take steps to recall our colleague and senior brother, a veteran politician, a parliamentarian par excellence, Abdul Ningi.”
PDP group wants Atiku to forgo 2027 ambition, demands Wike’s sanction
Meanwhile, the group, PDP100%, said prevailing on Atiku not to contest the 2027 election and penalising Wike would help to resolve the conflict within the party and reset it for future elections.
The national chairman/coordinator of PDP100%, Dennis Shima, said the group arrived at the decision in the light of the “unfortunate realities” in PDP ahead of the NEC meeting.
Shima, who noted that the group consulted widely before arriving at the decision, urged the PDP National Caucus, Board of Trustees and, most importantly, NEC, to do the following in accordance with the provisions of PDP Constitution (As amended 2017) without prejudices thus:
“Advise His Excellency Alh. Atiku Abubakar, GCON, former Vice President of Nigeria (1999 to 2007), PDP 2019 presidential candidate and 2023 presidential candidate to stop further contest for PDP presidential tickets beginning from 2027.
“And further Atiku Abubakar to support one of his many mentees across Nigeria to contest for PDP Presidential Ticket beginning from 2022
“We call on Atiku Abubakar to nominate and support any of his many mentees from the appropriate geo-political zone for the 2027 presidential election.
“Secondly, we call on the forthcoming PDP National Executive Committee, NEC, to exercise its power and authority in line with provisions of PDP Constitution regarding; offenses and sanctions, as contained in Section 58(1) a, b, c, d, e, f, g, h, I, l, and m. And also Section 59(1) a, b, c, d, e, f, and g, as well as Subsection (2), (3), (4), and (5) to “suspend” Barr. Nyesom Wike, CON, former Governor of Rivers State from participating in meetings or functions of PDP at all levels at home and abroad, directly or indirectly.
Considering the fact that the deviant PDP stalwart obtained a court order restraining PDP from expelling him from the party, we jettison the option of expulsion from the PDP, which would have been an appropriate sanction to him.”
The group further said Wike’s present role as minister and his responsibilities in the APC-led federal government violate the character and ethics of PDP and its constitution as given in the above sections 58, 59 and subsections (as amended 2017).
Meanwhile, governors elected on PDP platform will meet today in Abuja to deliberate on the issues ahead of the NEC meeting.
As key stakeholders in the party, their position on the issues at stake will significantly shape the outcome of the caucus and NEC meetings.