HOME > NEWS Nyako, Allies Set to Defect to APC 25 Oct 2013 Font Size: a / A Governor Murtala Nyako •PDP exempts Atiku, G7 governors from disciplinary panel •Splinter group appeals judgment recognising Tukurs leadership Chuks Okocha, Daji Sani and Abdullahi Rabiu The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is about to suffer another major casualty, following the decision by the Adamawa State Governor Murtala Nyako and his supporters in the state to defect to the All Progressives Congress (APC). Of the seven aggrieved governors, who broke away from the PDP last August, Nyako has been the most keen to cross carpet to the opposition. But Nyako’s loss of patience with the ruling party occurred just as the PDP exempted its aggrieved members from facing its disciplinary committee, headed by Second Republic Minister of Transport, Alhaji Umar Dikko. The party, after the inauguration of the committee yesterday in Abuja, said the decision was to give the ongoing reconciliation efforts in the party a chance to succeed. Former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar, seven governors of the party, as well as two former PDP national secretaries, Alhaji Kawu Baraje and Olagunsoye Oyinlola, among others, had stormed out of the PDP special national convention last August to announce the birth of the splinter group, christened New PDP. However, since the formation of the New PDP, their effort to wrest the leadership of the ruling party from the National Chairman of the mainstream party, Alhaji Bamanga Tukur, has suffered repeated setbacks. Just last Friday, the Federal High Court, sitting in Abuja, affirmed Tukurs leadership of the party just as it ordered the leaders of the New PDP to stop parading themselves as PDP leaders. But the splinter group has headed to the Court of Appeal to challenge the judgment of Justice Elvis Chukwu and is also seeking a stay of execution of the court order. In giving reasons for his decision to dump the PDP, Nyako described the party as a “dead body” which he and his supporters would not have any regret if they left it. The factional state chairman of the ruling party, Alhaji Mijinyawa Kugama, said in Yola yesterday that plans had been concluded by the governors camp to defect and they were only waiting for Nyako’s approval to know when they would leave the ruling party. Nyako, who was in Dutse, the Jigawa State capital, for a meeting with his counterpart in the state, Alhaji Sule Lamido, when Kugama spoke at a meeting with APC leaders, described the PDP as a dead body that he and his supporters would not have any regrets leaving. Kugama, at the meeting, which held at the Government House, said Tukur’s highhandedness in handling the affairs of the party would cause its defeat in the 2015 polls. The meeting was attended by members of Nyako’s cabinet, other political appointees, 19 members of the state House of Assembly, other political stakeholders loyal to the governor and Nyako’s first son, Commander Abdulaziz Nyako (rtd), who declared his membership of the APC at the meeting. A source told THISDAY that the meeting was holding at the time the aggrieved PDP governors were holding another meeting in Dutse to determine whether they should defect from the PDP or not. One of the APC leaders in the state, Alhaji Abdulrahman Adamu, assured Nyako and his supporters of equal treatment and fair play in the party, stating that the APC was founded on the pillars of equity, justice and fair play. Speaking earlier, the National Vice-Chairman (North-east) of APC, Alhaji Umar Duhu, praised Nyako for his achievements in the state, adding that they were eagerly awaiting his return to the progressives’ fold. Nyako also lent credence to Kugamas comments on the readiness of the members of the New PDP in Adamawa State to leave the ruling party. He told reporters after visiting Lamido that PDP was a dead body, adding: “People used to leave their religions for another but PDP is not a religion which means leaving it would not be regrettable. “There is no regret for us to be accused of deserting a dead body because to me I would not want to be buried with the dead body; so PDP is a dead party and if they feel like expelling us from the party, so be it. “The leadership of the party in Abuja has already been given a terrifying fatal uppercut like in boxing and to leave a dead body like PDP is better than being buried with it.” According to him, he and his colleagues in the New PDP were not afraid of being expelled from the PDP because there was nothing much again to the party. On his mission in Dutse, he said: The visit to the Jigawa governor is purely based on fraternity and to discuss the way forward on common issues bordering on security concerning us as northerners, as Nigerians and to discuss how to develop our entire region.” He said: The Dutse Airport would serve as a gateway for massive exportation of farm produce when completed and as the Chairman of the National Farmers Association, I will use my connections to actualise the aspiration of the Jigawa governor on the basis with which the airport is meant for.” In a related incident, shortly after the inauguration of the disciplinary committee of the PDP in Abuja, the party’s spokesman, Mr. Olisa Metuh, told reporters that contrary to the perception that the party would make Atiku and his associates in the New PDP face the committee, there was no such plan. According to him, the decision by the National Working Committee (NWC) of the party to excuse them was because of the ongoing reconciliation in the party. He said: “Members of the G7 governors and others in the so-called faction will not face any disciplinary committee. There is none in the offing. There is no move to impose any sanction on them. “We are doing this because our doors are still open for reconciliation. The leader of the party and other members will commence further reconciliation when they return from the pilgrimage to Jerusalem. So no disciplinary measure is being contemplated against them.” On whether the party will review the suspension of the Rivers State Governor, Mr. Chibuike Amaechi, who is one of the seven aggrieved governors of the party, Metuh said: “The matter is in court and we did not take Governor Amaechi to court; but by and large, PDP wants peace, mutual respect based on equity and justice.” He explained that the members of the New PDP were still committed members of the party and therefore had no other party to go to, saying, “They believe in the same principle in the management of the party to ensure equity and justice.” However, he warned that despite the olive branch by the party, it would not entertain further distractions nor would it condone other people destroying it. Earlier at the swearing-in of the disciplinary committee, Tukur said the PDP would adhere to party discipline as enshrined in its constitution. On why the party picked Dikko to chair the committee, Tukur said his choice was informed by his defence of democracy that made the military government uncomfortable, leading to a failed attempt by the Major General Muhammadu Buhari regime, which overthrew the civilian administration in 1983, to smuggle him to Nigeria from Britain where he had sought asylum. “You are chosen to this important committee based on your past record and love for democracy,” he said to Dikko. He also eulogised the committee members, noting that “they are people who will not witch hunt anybody, but you can be sure not to come to them when you cross the line.” Notwithstanding the partys bid not to sanction members of the New PDP, the splinter group said it had filed a notice of appeal against the Federal High Court order restraining it from using the PDP’s logo and colours and recognising the Tukur-led NWC as the authentic leadership of the party. In a statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Eze Chukwuemeka Eze, the faction said the notice of appeal was filed yesterday by its lawyers. According to the statement, “The decision to file the appeal was taken at an emergency meeting of the New PDP National Working Committee (NWC) following the return of the party’s National Chairman, Alhaji Abubakar Baraje, from the 2013 pilgrimage to Mecca, Saudi Arabia. “The decision was taken after the NWC carefully studied last Friday’s ruling by the Federal High Court and after due consultations with our team of lawyers. “We once more wish to reiterate that we remain convinced that we have a good case and are thus determined to ensure that Tukur and his cohorts are not allowed to hold sway as the leaders of our great party. “Our teeming members and supporters should therefore entertain no fears whatsoever and should remain steadfast as we seek to legally establish our case and logically conclude our mission to rescue the PDP from anti-democratic forces so as to restore the noble vision of the party’s founding fathers.” He also said the planned meeting of the group had been put off until next week. “One of the major issues slated for discussion is how to receive our new members, particularly the five additional PDP governors who have indicated interest in joining us,” the faction added.
Posted on: Fri, 25 Oct 2013 06:02:20 +0000
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