Presidency Asks PDP to Summon NEC Meeting 18 Aug 2013 Chuks Okocha The Presidency may have decided to compel an emergency meeting of the National Executive Committee of Peoples Democratic Party to discuss crucial issues that might affect the August 31 special national convention of the party. THISDAY learnt that the decision to call the meeting was the highlight of a meeting on Thursday at the Presidential Villa chaired by President Goodluck Jonathan. Attendees at the meeting that had many members of the president’s inner caucus present included Governor Godswill Akpabio of Akwa Ibom State, who is also the chairman of the PDP Governors’ Forum; Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Senator Anyim Pius Anyim; Minister of Niger Delta, Elder Godsday Orubebe; Chief of Staff to the President, Chief Mike Ogieadomhe; and Minister of Aviation Stella Oduah. Chairman of the PDP Board of Trustees, Chief Tony Anenih, was billed to be at the gathering, but he was said to have travelled. The meeting commenced in the morning but had to be suspended due to the visit of the Malian Interim President, who came to confer that country’s highest national honour on Jonathan. The second leg of the caucus meeting commenced after the departure of the Malian leader. According to one insider who spoke with THISDAY, the meeting compelled the Alhaji Bamanga Tukur-led National Working Committee to meet tomorrow and summon a NEC meeting to discuss some of the crucial issues affecting the party, including the coming special national convention and the South-west congress. THISDAY gathered that the emergency NEC meeting may hold on August 22 before the August 24 South-west congress. It was gathered that the Presidency had to literally force a NEC meeting in view of the latest court injunction obtained by the former PDP national secretary, Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola, from an Oshogbo High Court, which declared that the office of the national secretary of the party was not vacant. The South-west congress is scheduled for August 24 and one of the main issues planned for occasion is nomination of a replacement for Oyinlola, who was removed following a court order. Apart from that, the former national auditor of the party, Olabode Mustapha, has appealed to the Supreme Court to set aside the judgement of the Court of Appeal that upheld a ruling by Justice Dan Achibong of the Federal High Court Lagos that ousted him from office. The NEC is also expected to regularise its June 20 resolution that acting NWC members should function until July 15. The source who spoke with THISDAY said, “Already we are in August and the acting NWC members are still functioning, contrary to the resolution of the NEC. The continued stay in office of the NWC is an illegality that can be challenged in the court.” THISDAY gathered the meeting would seek to take a definite stand on the calls for the sack of Tukur as the national chairman. Five governors of the party – Governors Sule Lamido of Jigawa State, Musa Kwankawanso of Kano State, Aliyu Wammako of Sokoto State, Muritala Nyako of Adamawa State, and Babangida Aliyu of Niger State – have been unrelenting in their campaign for the resignation of the national chairman. THISDAY was told that the Presidency may decide to allow the meeting to take a final decision on the matter by either passing a vote of confidence on Tukur or asking him to step aside in the overall interest of the party.
Posted on: Sun, 18 Aug 2013 14:11:20 +0000
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