PDP: We Are Not Running A Parallel NWC; Gana Tells Tukur Chairman, Special National Convention Committee of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Professor Jerry Gana yesterday declared that Committee was not in any way running a parallel National Working Committee, NWC contrary to reports that the Committee was at war with Bamanga Tukur led Executive. When asked to comment on reports of complaints by PDP National Chairman, Alhaji Bamanga Tukur that his Committee was running a parallel NWC, Gana said, ‘’the answer to the question as to whether we are running a parallel executive is absolutely, no. ‘’This is because, immediately we were inaugurated, we met and the primary assignment given to this committee was given to us by the NEC. We read it out to our members and it does not in any way conflict with the functions of the NWC. On the treatment at the Chairman’s residence where he was locked out with Ekweremadu, the former Minister of Information said, “We don’t want to speak on the speculated lock-out at the chairman’s residence. We don’t want to speak on such an issue concerning a man we have great respect for. Whatever it is, shall be resolved, but not on the pages of newspapers.’’ It will be recalled that since the National Executive Committee, NEC of the party at its last meeting last month approved the Committee to conduct election and fill the post where some members of the National Working Committee, NWC resigned, Tukur has been having problem with the Committee. The problem, it was gathered first came up when Tukur complained of non inclusion of members of NWC as sub-committee members which then led to the inclusion of six of the NWC members. The national chairman and members of the interim NWC, a source told correspondent are not happy with the Gana’s committee on the grounds that the committee was operating as a parallel NWC, whereas, the committee was expected to take directives from the Tukur led NWC. Speaking further on the Special Convention, Gana promised that the Committee would ensure that the Convention was conducted in transparent, free, fair and credible manner, even as he stressed that founding fathers of the party strongly desired the restoration of democracy in Nigeria through which governments shall be freely elected by the people in free, fair and credible elections under the rule of law. “Democracy was thus central to the formation of the PDP, without which it may lose essence and meaning. This is why the Party is making every effort to sustain internal democracy.” The Chairman of the Convention who explained that the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC had been notified of the convention prior to the change of date, said that what the party will do would be to give INEC additional information on the new dates, adding, “It was several years back that the party resolved that for each convention, we have a special convention planning committee. This is just like what is happening in the country. You cannot have a situation where the Federal Executive Council organising a national election. “That is why we have an INEC. It is part of fairness, it is part of democracy; it is part of making sure that democracy is not truncated by selfishness. So, we are not in any conflict. The assignment given to us was communicated to us again by the NWC. I assure you that we will never go beyond what we have been assigned. “On the letter to INEC informing them of this development, a letter was signed by the national chairman of our great party, Dr. Bamanga Tukur, to inform the INEC about the convention. Because of the Ramadan fasting, we shifted the date. So, the national chairman has already informed INEC and given the mandatory 21 days notice. “The notice has already been served. We have already informed them and we have done that before the 21 days period and so, we have fulfilled the law. Just for the purpose of emphasis, it was not the secretary (Ekweremadu) or me that signed the letter; it was our national chairman that signed the letter. On letter from the former National Secretary, Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola complaining of the South West Congress that the office was not vacant, Gana who admitted that the Committee received the letter from him, said, “immediately we received the letter since we have legal advisers in the party we referred the letter to legal advisers. We as a committee will receive the report when the full committee meets and whatever is advised in accordance to law we will abide.
Posted on: Sat, 13 Jul 2013 04:08:32 +0000
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