PDP BoT backs probing of dissenting legislators over NASS elections
Tunde Opalana, Abuja
The Board of Trustees of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has backed the decision of the party’s National Executive Council (NEC) to investigate actions of some of its members in both Houses of the National Assembly against party decision during the June 11 inauguration of the Federal lawmakers.
The party had on Thursday at its 86th NEC meeting expressed disappointment with some Senators and Representatives that voted against the party’s preferred candidates in both chambers.
The NEC has therefore instituted a probe panel to look at what transpired on the floor of both houses when the Senate President and his deputy as well as the Speaker House of Representatives and his deputy were elected.
Disclosing the decision of the BoT to agree with the NEC’s decision, its chairman, Senator Walid Jibrin, told journalists on Friday that it is an act of insubordination for any member to go against the decision of the party.
He said the party is supreme and all members of the party are answerable to the party hierarchy.
Jibrin said: “If the party has come up with their stand, it has to be obeyed by every member. If you go astray, you are not a good member of that party because the party put you there and you contested under the umbrella of the party and you won.
“If there is no party, you cannot win under an independent candidacy. So you have your guide and your guide is the party and if the party says ‘This is our decision, there is nothing you can do. You must follow what the party has said.
“That is why many people are not very comfortable with what has happened but we cannot jump the gun. We have to investigate everything that happened and surely when the investigation is over, then the party will take its own decision.”
On the possible outcome of the investigation, the BoT chairman said: “I cannot tell you what that decision is going to be until the investigation is over. We have set the ball running for the investigation to start and once that investigation is concluded, then the party will meet and take its decision”.
