New PDP: Grandstanding Amidst Serial Losses By: Chibuzo Ukaibe on October 21, 2013 - 4:35am In this report, Chibuzo Ukaibe, looks at the recent court ruling as it impacts on the fortunes of new PDP as well as reconciliatory talks still on-going within the ruling party The response of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the court ruling over the leadership tussle last week was quite insightful. If anything, it conveyed the posture of a party that is running out of patience to unleash its fury at the Alhaji Abubakar Kawu Baraje-led new PDP, save for the much anticipated reconciliatory meeting which by the turn of events appear elusive. A Federal High Court, in Abuja, ordered the Baraje-led new PDP to stop parading themselves as national officers of the party. In response to the court ruling, PDP warned the Baraje faction to desist from using the name, flag and colour of the PDP, adding that not only will they no longer tolerate it, any unauthorized use would be treated as crime. But the Baraje faction while stating their undying resolve to pursue their legitimacy to the highest court in the land, called the bluff of the PDP, insisting that they would not stop using the party’s flag, logo and name since they are bonafide members of the party. This inevitable exchange further gives dent to the prospects of a resolution of the crisis within the party. However, at every turn the new PDP keeps having a bad spell in the quest to assert their legitimacy to the ruling party’s leadership. From the ejection of their case in Federal High Court in Lagos to the recognition of Alhaji Bamanga Tukur as the legitimate chairman of the party by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), the chances of the Baraje led PDP would seem to be waning and their options going into the reconciliatory meeting dwindling. Their pursuit of the PDP leadership further suffered a setback last week, as the Federal High Court, in Abuja, told them to stop parading themselves as national officers of the party. Justice Evoh Chukwu further ordered the faction, to forthwith, stop interfering in the official duties of the Tukur-led faction of the party adding that only the Tukur-led PDP was recognised by law. In the suit filed by Tukur, they pleaded the court for an order restraining the Baraje faction from parading itself as having the officials of the ruling party. The Baraje-led faction in a counter move filed a notice of preliminary objection, challenging the jurisdiction of the court to determine the suit. They indeed, argued that the issues between the two factions of the party were an internal crisis which the court lacked the power to entertain. But the judge would have none. Justice Chukwu held that the plaintiffs had presented before the court documentary evidence showing that their claims and reliefs sought should be granted. He added that all the evidence brought by the plaintiffs lent credence to its case. Undeterred, the Baraje faction has said they are ready to all the way including approaching the Supreme Court in their bid to claim leadership of the party. In a reaction to the court ruling by Baraje faction its spokesman Chief Eze Chukwuemeka Eze, said “let us reiterate that we will see this issue to a logical conclusion, including going to the Supreme Court, if necessary, to ensure that a non- member of our party does not continue to lord it over us as our National Chairman. “Alhaji Bamanga Tukur and his loyalists should, therefore, not celebrate yet as any such celebration would be short-lived as we are more than ever determined to show him the way out of the exalted position he is illegally occupying. “We meanwhile insist that we have every right to continue using the PDP flag, symbol and colours, as we are bonafide members of the party and thus entitled to use them.” But the national publicity secretary of the PDP, Chief Oliseh Metuh, said; “for the avoidance of doubt, the ruling of the court in this regard is absolutely clear, direct and unambiguous. The PDP has only one duly elected National Executive Committee under the National Chairmanship of Alhaji Bamanga Tukur. “We wish therefore to state with all emphasis that any group of persons parading themselves as leaders of this organ of our party are impostors and must be treated as criminals by all and sundry. “Henceforth, the leadership of the PDP will no longer tolerate or condone any meeting, utterances, press statements and/or activities whatsoever under the name, flag and colour of the PDP by any unauthorized person or group(s) under any guise. “As a law abiding party, the PDP remained calm in the face of the unwarranted attacks of the last few months. Our leaders chose the path of caution and decorum but our reconciliatory moves and offer of olive branch were treated with the highest disdain and viewed as signs of weakness. “The National Working Committee has therefore directed that the name, colour, flag and the provisions of constitution of our party must be held sacrosanct by our members. The PDP has adequate internal mechanism for resolution of disagreements and members are advised to express their grievances through such.” Yet, with the reconciliatory talks in sight, both camps appear bent on optimizing their strategies, mindful perhaps, that the talks would yield little or no success. For the new PDP, while they have opened talks with some opposition parties, it does appear that they are bent in whittling the potency of PDP ahead of the 2015 election. And for the mainstream PDP, the planned take away the party structure from G7 governors on the one hand and a possible sanction against them are in top gear. As far as the sanctions go, the Umaru Dikko led disciplinary committee will be inaugurated this week, even as pressure seems to be mounting for the sanction of the G7 governors and other members of the faction. While, the Rivers State governor, Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi is already suspended by the party, his Sokoto State counterpart had a taste of it, which was reversed almost immediately as it was pronounced by the leadership of the party under Tukur. However, all eyes would be on the disciplinary committee on what to do with the remaining governors of Kano, Adamawa, Niger, Kwara and Jigawa States. However as for the takeover of party structures in the states, the latest stop was Kwara State, where a key member of the faction, Senator Bukola Saraki, hails from. The factional chairman, Baraje also comes from the state. Last week, some stakeholders and elders of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) from Kwara State yesterday asked the Alhaji Bamanga Tukur led PDP to immediately sanction the arrowheads of new PDP in Kwara State. The delegation which paid a solidarity visit to the national working committee of the PDP in Abuja, warned that any delay in disciplining those behind the splinter PDP would create frustration among members of the state party and an unpleasant environment. Former governor of the Kwara state, Sen. Bukola Saraki, the serving governor, Abdulfatah Ahmed and the chairman of the new PDP, Alhaji Abubakar Kawu Baraje, are the proponents of the splinter party in the state. Calling on the PDP to urgently discipline the Saraki and his group, Prof. Oba said; “the new PDP as far as we can recognise in Kwara, is a party that has been constituted by proclamation and it is unknown to any democratic ideas or principles. “If the people promoting that party are doing so on the excuse that they are trying to entrench democracy within the parent party, that is the wrong way to go. “We on this delegation urge you Mr Chairman that the time is now not tomorrow, that you must put on ground your strong foot of discipline to restore sanity in Kwara PDP.’’ He said. Speaking earlier, Suliaman Alada who said the delegation came to reaffirm their solidarity to President Goodluck Jonathan and the Bamanga Tukur delegation is ready to ensure that Kwara remains under the mainstream PDP. He said; “with this team, the party should have faith in us and pray for us. We will make certain that those who believe Kwara State will not move forward without them, God will put such people to shame. “This is the time for action to stand up and prove our worth, not to cringe but be in the fore front for the good of Nigerians and generations to come. We are not against anybody staying in the party but there cannot be two masters in one ship” he said. In his response, the national chairman, Alhaji Bamanga Tukur, however stated that there is no duplicate of the PDP anywhere in the country. He further assured that the party would continue to abide by fairness, equity and justice.He described the delegates as the heavy weights in the political firmament of the state, said he has worked with them and know their capacity. The national chairman further assured that “in PDP there are no impositions but conscensus, no selection but election. That is what our party believes in. We will make sure the party does the right thing. “We are all owners of this party. PDP has no duplicate. It is one and our vote is one” he said. The Kwara delegation was led by chairman of the Federal Character Commission (FCC) Prof. Abdulraheem Oba. The delegation included the former Minister of Transport, Hon, Isa Bio, John Dara; Special Adviser to the President on Ethics and Values, Mrs Sarah Jubril; Sen. Haliru Kayamah and AlhajI Ladi Edun. Others were Alhaji Folorunsho Ayinla, Alhaji Kunle Sulaiman and Mr Femi Sunni among others. Still, if the vow of the new PDP is anything to go by, the party has its work cut out particularly at the court. However with the crisis evolving by the day, it does appear the party is focused on moving on as it has set up a national finance committee ahead of 2015.
Posted on: Mon, 21 Oct 2013 04:30:01 +0000
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