The crisis rocking the ruling Peoples
Democratic Party has become messier as
some of its members have sued the party
for violating guidelines for the election of its
national officers.
Three members - Abba Yale, Alhaji Yahaya
Aruwa Sule and Basir Maidugu - are asking
an Abuja High Court to compel the party to
conduct a fresh convention to elect its
national officials.
The suit was filed on March 27, 2013, a day
before the Independent National Electoral
Commission made public a report in which it
voided the election of 12 members of the
PDP National Working Committee.
In the report, INEC faulted the process
adopted by the PDP in electing the 12
officials, arguing that it violated paragraph
6.5 of the guidelines used for conducting
the 2012 congresses and national
convention of the party.
It, however, approved the elections of the
National Chairman, Alhaji Bamanga Tukur,
the Financial Secretary, Bolaji Anani; the
sacked National Secretary, Olagunsoye
Oyinlola, and the sacked National Auditor,
Chief Bode Mustapha.
Oyinlola and Mustapha were in February
removed by the Bamanga Tukur-led national
leadership of the PDP, which relied on court
judgments which were against them.
But just as the PDP on Wednesday insisted
on ignoring the report by INEC, The PUNCH
obtained a copy of the suit in which the
three members of the party also argued that
Sections 6.5 (I), page 13 and 6.0, page 17 of
the guidelines for congresses and national
convention of the PDP were violated.
The petitioners are seeking among other
things:
o An order compelling the first defendant
(PDP) to conduct fresh elections into the
national offices held by the 2nd to 18th
defendants as national officers to bring
same in tandem with PDP's constitution;
o An order nullifying the selection,
affirmation and or appointment of the 2nd
to the 18th defendants as national officers;
o the nullification of the election/
appointments of 17 national officers of the
PDP.
The plaintiffs claimed that "the 2nd
defendant (Bala Ka'oje) is not an Accountant
but a graduate of the Ahmadu Bello
University, having obtained a B.Sc. in
Building Engineering and was purported to
be elected national treasurer of the PDP .
They also said that the "3rd defendant (Bode
Mustapha) is not an Accountant but a
graduate of the National Open University of
Nigeria, having obtained a B.Sc., in
Criminology and Security Services and was
purported to be elected or appointed
national auditor of the PDP."
Adding that "the 4th defendant (Umar
Tsauri) is not an Accountant and was
purported to be elected or appointed
deputy national auditor of the party, they
stated that the "5th defendant (Garba Chiza),
was purported to be appointed or elected
national youth leader.
They further argued that Articles 13 (6) page
75; 13 (14), page 78; and 13 (15), page 79
of the PDP Constitution, made it mandatory
that qualification for nomination and or
election into the offices of the national
treasurer, national auditor and deputy
national auditor is to be a qualified
accountant.
According to them, "the 2nd, 3rd and 4th
defendants, not themselves being
accountants, were not so qualified for
nomination, appointment and or election
into the offices of national treasurer,
national auditor and deputy national
auditor."
They also argued that the election of the 5th
and 6th defendants was in violation of
Articles 13 (20), page 80; and 13 (21), page
18 of the PDP Constitution which stipulate
that those to be elected into the two offices
should be between the ages of 18 and 40.
They observed that "the 5th and 6th
defendants, above 40 years of age
respectively, did not possess the
qualification precedent for nomination and
or election into the office of national youth
leader and deputy national youth leader."
The plaintiffs further argued that, "If the 2 to
18 the defendants are allowed to hold or
continue to hold office as national officers
of the PDP and participate in the activities of
its NWC and National Executive Committee,
they will jeopardise the working and or
activities of the party, including the conduct
of future nomination or election of
candidates into public offices, including the
candidate into the hallowed office of the
President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria."
But just as The PUNCH learnt that President
Goodluck Jonathan would meet with the
NWC over the crisis in the PDP, the National
Publicity Secretary, Chief Olisa Metuh, said
the party had resolved to ignore the INEC
report which voided the election of 12
members of the party's NWC.
Metuh, who briefed journalists after the
weekly meeting of the party's NWC in Abuja
on Wednesday , said the PDP would no
longer respond to 'rumours' about the 2012
national convention.
Metuh spoke in the presence of Tukur, the
Deputy National Chairman, Dr. Sam Jaja, and
other members of the NWC.
Maintaining that the national convention
was held in strict adherence to the
constitution of the PDP, he said, "We
resolved to remain focused in administering
the affairs of the party and not to respond
to any further rumours concerning any
issue about the convention.
"The NWC is saying that the national
convention was in accordance with the
constitution of the PDP and we stand by it."
He stressed that the NWC was in support of
the activities of the party, especially with the
consciousness that the NEC which Tukur
headed was in charge of all affairs of the
party.
Metuh restated the commitment of the NWC
to the transformation agenda of President
Goodluck Jonathan.
He said that the government was doing well
by delivering democratic dividends to
Nigerians.
According to him, the confidence of the PDP
in the Jonathan administration was
responsible for the decision to invite
ministers to brief the party on their
performance.
He said, "The NWC states publicly that we
have no issue with any major arm of the
party. The NWC is in complete support of the
President that the PDP helped in installing.
"That the NWC is in support of all activities of
all other bodies of the party, knowing clearly
well that the NEC which the national
chairman heads is in charge of the affairs of
the party.
"The NWC unanimously endorsed the
leadership of the party led by the national
chairman; that we are supporting him fully
and believe in the programme and idea of
the national chairman; that we will be able
to move the party successfully into the next
election.
Our correspondents however gathered that
barring any last minute change in plan,
Jonathan would meet behind closed doors
with members of the NWC on Wednesday
evening.
The meeting was scheduled to commence at
9pm at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.
An insider said that issues bordering on the
crisis in the ruling party would be discussed.
The meeting was also expected to come up
with how best to handle the cancellation of
the election of the 12 NWC members by INEC.

The beginning of the end!

Now, the PDP is having their own internal issues and they are trying to resolve it the best they could. If a similar thing happens in APC/ACN, Lai Mohammed would have held up to 10 press conferences and each of them trying hard to convince us that we should blame PDP and weaving around countless conspiracy theories to justify his stance.

not my problem cos we don't need parties but good men to rule us

let the energy within d nucleaus breaks it!

Frank-C:
Now, the PDP is having their own internal issues and they are trying to resolve it the best they could. If a similar thing happens in APC/ACN, Lai Mohammed would have held up to 10 press conferences and each of them trying hard to convince us that we should blame PDP and weaving around countless conspiracy theories to justify his stance.

SHARRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRA THERE MR. MAN.