Minority leadership tussle: Elumelu, others appear before Ayu Committee

…Reconciliation will not factionalise party, committee assures

Tunde Opalana, Abuja

Members of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) alleged to have disobeyed party’s directives in the election of House of Representatives minority leadership positions on Thursday appeared before the committee set up by PDP’s Board of Trustees.

Recall that the BoT had on Tuesday named a five man fact finding Committee headed by former Senate President, Dr. Iyorcha Ayu, to look into roles played by seven members of the party in the minority leadership crisis in the House of Representatives.

House Minority Leader, Hon. Ndudi Elumulu led the six others and more than 50 colleagues from the House Minority Caucus to storm the private residence of Dr. Ayu at about 12.40 pm in two coaster and one luxury buses and few personal cars.

Though journalists were not allowed into the private discussion, other lawmakers who were on solidarity were excused before the meeting entered into an exclusive session.

The chairman, Sen. Ayu told journalists “Elders are meeting and it is a family affair.”

But a member of the Committee unofficially said that members have met shortly before the arrival of the summoned and have taken a firm decision.

“We are planning reconciliation and not confrontation with the invited members. Whatever decision reached by this committee will ensure peace. It will not factionalise the party”, he said.

“The minority Caucus resolved to give unalloyed support to the Elumelu leadership because the issue at hand is not that of Elumelu alone but an issue that concerns every member in the opposition in the Green Chamber,” he added..

One of the representatives from the South West told the media in confidence that all PDP members from the South West are solidly behind the election of Hon. Segun Adekoya as Deputy Minority Whip.

The chairman of the party’s BoT, Sen. Walid Jibril while naming the committee on Tuesday, said: “I assure you that the issue of House of Representatives will soon be solved by the party.

We must ensure that we do not break this party. The party will continue and nobody will make any attempt to do away with our party”.

Other members of the Committee are former Senate Presidents David Mark and Adolphus Wabara and former deputy Senate President Ibrahim Mantu while former deputy Speaker, House of Representatives, Rt. Hon.Austin Opara is the secretary.

The committee has one week to submit its report.

The PDP NWC had earlier suspended for one month, Reps. Elumelu, Tobi Okechukwu, Segun Adekoya, Wole Oke Lynda Ikpeazu and others accused of frustrating the emergence of Hon. Kingsley Chinda as the preferred Minority leader, asking them to face a disciplinary committee.

The party had forwarded to the Speaker by the PDP a list that include names of Hon. Kingsley Chinda – Minority Leader, Hon. Chukwuka Onyema- Deputy Minority Leader, Hon. Yakubu Barde – Minority Whip, and Hon. Muraina Ajibola – Deputy Minority Whip.