PDP Acting NWC: Abuja Court Decides on Fresh Motion Monday The plot to remove the National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Alhaji Bamanga Tukur, and the acting members of the National Working Committee (NWC) appears not to be over yet as Justice Sulieman Belgore of the Abuja High Court will Monday hear an amended motion to sack all the members of the NWC and conduct fresh elections into all the offices of the executive organ of the party. This is coming as a group, the National Unity Group (NUG), has launched fresh attacks against the five northern governors of the PDP describing them as threats to national unity and democracy inthe country. Justice Belgore had last Thursday ordered the stoppage of the special national convention of the PDP slated for August 31 and refused to restrain Tukur from parading himself as the national chairman and the sack of the acting members of the NWC, stating that it was outside the purview of what was presented to the court by Abba Yale, Yahaya AruwaSule and Bashir Maidugu, in their originating summons. In suit number CV/2418/13, amended originating summons signed by J.S Okutepa (SAN), on July 15, a copy which was obtained by THISDAY, the three members of PDP are asking for a declaration that the appointment, selection by affirmation of all members of the acting NWC “is a nullity by virtue of the provisions of article 2 page 3 article 16 (1) and (3) pages 84 and 85 of the constitution of the PDP 2009 as amended and section 6.6 (election of national officers) page 13 section 4.0 (e) nomination procedures, announcement and guidelines of the national convention of the held March 24, 2012.” Also, the originating summons as amended is seeking that the memoranda with reference number NEC 61/104/13 and NEC 61/105/13 to the NEC of June 20, 2013 by Tukur, which appointed the acting NWC members is “a nullity because of having been issued without viresand competence, while the suit was pending.” Okutepa further argued that in the amended originating summons, the court should declare “upon a calm view and holistic construction of the constitution of PDP and other relevant provisions ofthe electoral act 2010 as amended, read together with the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, the resignation of other members of the NWC of PDP have incurably affected the election and the continued stay in office of the national chairman of the PDP and as such that it is in the interest of justice to order fresh election in the national offices of the PDP as specified in article 29 (1) (a) – (b) (d) ((h) and (j) (l) of the constitution of PDP by empowering the NEC of PDP to do so. “An order of this hon. court that the continued stayin office of the national chairman of PDP, Tukur is anullity and in violation of the constitution of the PDP, having regards to the fact that the members he was elected with had all resigned their offices,” Okutepa said in the originating summons. Okutepa, therefore, urged Justice Belgore to compel PDP to conduct fresh elections into all the national offices of the party as specified in article 29 (1) (a)(b), (d) (h) and (J) and (L) of the PDP to “bring same in tandem with the PDP constitution, vacuum having been created by the resignations of the national officers of PDP as specified above within a reasonable time as may be decided by the court.” It was gathered that the motion would be moved today and a ruling given on the originating summons. In a related development, the NUG, in a statement signed by its Interim National Secretary, Alhaji Garuba Lawal Mainasara, has faulted the five governors’ consultation visits to prominent Nigerians, stating that their motive has a hidden agenda. According to the group, “we of the NUG are at loss pertaining to the motive and agenda of the five governors. If they are loyal party men, let alone governors on the platform of the party, who wish the party well and respects its constitution and structures, they should have approached the leadership of the party to table their grievances no matter what. “The action of the governors to complain, whateverit is, to some elders of the party who do not hold any party offices and who have no mandate to make peace or dialogue on behalf of their party, undoubtedly would create suspicion. Equally, the statement credited to one of them, in the person ofGovernor Murtala Nyako of Adamawa State, that the party would die soon, and that they would buryit, is inconceivable and extreme. It is a clear example of anti party activity.” The group also condemned the visit of the five northern governors to Rivers State, saying: “The disturbing issue has been the way the aforementioned governors went to Rivers State without even inviting one of their counterparts from the south to accompany them to show the way to disabuse from the public mind that they have no hidden agenda.”
Posted on: Mon, 29 Jul 2013 08:34:53 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015