Barely five weeks after granting a waiver to ex-Vice-President Atiku Abubakar to rejoin the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), some party bigwigs have launched the campaign to remove the party’s National Chairman, Dr. Okwesilieze Nwodo.

It was also gathered that some PDP governors and leaders are supporting the plan to remove Nwodo because of the waiver and some inputs made by the party leadership on the Electoral Act 2010 which might jeopardize the election of Jonathan in 2011.

The PDP National Chairman, sources told The Nation, may cut short his trip to the United States to take charge and defend his actions.

Also, there were strong signals that ex-President Ibrahim Babangida; ex-Vice-President Atiku Abubakar, and some party stalwarts may resist any plot to remove Nwodo under any guise.

The ex-Vice-President was granted a waiver on September 15, 2010 during the 53rd National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting of the PDP in Abuja.

The meeting was presided over by the Vice-President, Arc. Namadi Sambo.

Investigation by The Nation revealed that there has been disquiet between some loyalists of the President and Nwodo over the waiver following security reports on how Atiku has been collaborating with other presidential aspirants from the North to frustrate the presidential ambition of Jonathan.

Atiku alongside ex-President Ibrahim Babangida, ex-National Security Adviser, Gen. Aliyu Gusau; and Governor Bukola Saraki have been working together to produce a consensus candidate that will stop Jonathan from securing the presidential ticket of the PDP, The Nation learnt yesterday.

According to findings, some loyalists of the President are allegedly angry that Nwodo did not consult him before granting Atiku the waiver.

It was learnt that some loyalists of the President have confided in some principal officers of the National Assembly that Atiku secured the waiver without the “express permission” of the President, who is the leader of the party.

A reliable source claimed that a top official in the Presidency alluded to the controversy over waiver in the party while underscoring the fact that Atiku and some presidential aspirants were behind the rejection of amendments to the 2010 Electoral Act by the Senate.

The top source also regaled some principal officers of the National Assembly who were at the Villa with the drama that accompanied the 53rd NEC meeting of the PDP.

He added: “The top source claimed that upon sighting waiver for Atiku and others on the agenda of the NEC meeting, Nwodo was asked three times if he had the approval of the President to list the item.

“He said the Chairman answered in the positive. On the strength of his assurance, the issue was put before the NEC which overwhelmingly approved waiver for Atiku and numerous other politicians who were listed for waiver consideration.

“ President Jonathan, upon his return from a visit to flooded areas in Sokoto, denied that he gave approval to Nwodo to allow a waiver for Atiku.”

But another source close to Nwodo said the PDP National Chairman did not act unilaterally on waiver for Atiku.

He said: “Nwodo pointedly asked for the opinion of the president on Atiku’s application for waiver and the president said he had “no problem” with Atiku being granted a waiver.

It was learnt that the President said he “did not want any distraction of Atiku seeking legal challenge of any attempt to stop him from the election.”

Another source said: “All is not well at all because some loyalists of the president are suspicious of infiltration of PDP leadership by some opponents of Jonathan.

“Some are claiming that there is a secret agenda being executed by some party leaders. They are accusing Nwodo of ‘wavering loyalty’.

“The handling of the issue of congresses in eight states, especially Enugu State , is another weak point against Nwodo. The President’s grip on the South-East is threatened ahead of the presidential primaries. Jonathan loyalists felt their principal should not tolerate such tardiness from Nwodo.

Findings also revealed that some party leaders are uncomfortable with Nwodo over his alleged inputs into the Electoral Act which had posed extra challenge to Jonathan’s camp in winning the forthcoming presidential primaries.

A top party leader said: “Some loyalists of the President felt the party leadership did not guide it well on proposals for the First Amendment to the Electoral Act.

“The exclusion of official delegates from congress and presidential primaries is a costly mistake in the 2010 Electoral Act. This oversight is said to have the input of the PDP leadership.

“The lapse will overstretch the President as he has to take-off from ground zero to seek the support of delegates to the National Convention.

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