PDP Crisis messier as spokespersons sing discordance tunes

…Ologunagba speaks from both sides of his mouth, says Abdullahi
…as NWC maintains Anyanwu remain National Secretary pending S/ Court judgement

By Tunde Opalana

Crisis rocking the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is getting messier as the two spokespersons of the party speak discordant tunes as regards party’s position concrete matters of the party.

It is more becoming apparent that the National Publicity Secretary, Hon. Debo Ologunagba and his deputy, Ibrahim Abdullahi have pitched different tents along the obvious division in the National Working Committee (NWC).

The Deputy National Publicity Secretary on the instruction of both the acting National Chairman, Amb. Ilya Damagum and the National Secretary, Senator Samuel Anyanwu on Friday at the national secretariat addresses the press on the position of the NWC on issues surrounding the office of the National Secretary.

At the press conference, Abdullahi alluded to the fact that the NPS has been going off- track recently issuing statements that does not represent the position of NWC but tinted with personal discretion .

Abdullahi said it is becoming very glaring and clear that the party is having discomfort with the manner that Ologunagba recently handles party’s matter.

“He seems to have been speaking from both sides of his mouth. Only yesterday I issued on the directive of the national chairman a disclaimer on the position of the party where he spoke and issued a statement that the party, the NWC, sat and accepted wholly the judgment in River State, recognizing the Ewo-led executive.

“That’s not true. The NWC has not sat since September last year. This is subject to your verification. And so I wonder where he will now say the NWC sat and adopted wholly or accepted the verdict recognizing the Ewo-led state executive in River State,” he said.

Speaking on other offences the NWC picked in Ologunagba’s action, the Deputy National Publicity Secretary said “not only that. Only recently he spoke about the judgment in Imo State wherein a court, you know, affirmed the expulsion of Imo Ugochinyere from the PDP.

“Even before the normal processes were adhered to, which is that the information from the ward where he was expelled or suspended, transmitted to the local government, and eventually to the state for onward transmission to the NWC.

“Even before this was done, Debo went to the press by issuing a statement that Ugochinyere was not expelled.

“A national publicity secretary does not enjoy such powers. He cannot speak for the NWC without clearance with the NWC. That is not the position of law. That is not expected of him as a lawyer to so do.

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“So, we have now come to a level where the sentiment that he has allowed to be cloud his reasoning is beginning to take toll on his job.

“It was the same thing that happened in the neighboring state of Ebonyi where even though on appeal the zonal chairman, was said to also have been suspended and expelled.

“And this was equally affirmed by the court. Before that decision was deliberated on the NWC, Debo went and said it is not the position of the NWC.

“NWC will have to sit. The chairman will have to give directive. He never said, like I did yesterday in my press release, that I was directed.

“Debo will never tell you I was directed to so do. He uses his whims and caprice. And you are not at liberty to use your discretion when speaking for a party where there are constituted authority.”

The Daily Times recalled that Abdullahi had on Thursday in a statement disclaimed a press statement issued by Ologunagba on the Rivers PDP court judgement.

The disclaimer read “I am directed by the Ag National Chairman of the PDP, HE Amb Umar Iliya Damagun, to refute the Press Statement issued by the National Publicity Secretary,Hon Debo Ologunagba earlier today,dated 16th January,2025,to the effect that the National Working Committee(NWC)sat and approved the verdict,recognising the Ewo-led exco in Rivers state

“For the avoidance of doubt,not even the said judgement has been served on the party,just yet.

“Accordingly,the NWC has neither received nor sat to take any decisions on the said judgement,which, in any case,has been appealed.

The NWC hereby distances itself from the calculated falsehood aimed at achieving a predetermined objective

“The NPS has, of late,embarked on a frolic of his own by taking extreme and contradictory opinions against the collective resolve of the NWC with a view to undermining its authority

“Members of the public,especially the PDP family, are hereby enjoyed to disregard and discard the publication, which is merely the figment of the NPS’s imagination

At the earliest convenience,the official position of the NWC on this matter shall be communicated accordingly .”

Speaking on the position of the NWC at a press briefing titled ‘Just so the PDP may have a breather’, the deputy national spokesperson said that Senator Samuel Anyanwu remains the National Secretary of the party due to a stay of execution served on the party by the Court of Appeals, Abuja division in the judgment of this Court in appeal No CA/E/24/2024,between Peoples Democratic Party & anor V. Aniagu Emmanuel & 2 Ors. delivered on the 20th day of December,2024, pending the hearing and determination of the appeal filed at the supreme Court of Nigeria

He said “This order comes with an injunction restraining the 1st Respondents,their agents,privies,or otherwise however described from enforcing or giving effect to the judgment of this Court delivered on the 20th day of December,2024,pending the hearing and determination of the appeal filed at the supreme Court,both of which I hereby present for your kind note.

“In a ruling on the ex parte application,the Judge restrained the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP,the Acting National Chairman,the National Executive Committee(NEC),the National Working Committee(NWC)and indeed the Board of Trustees(BoT) from removing the elected National Secretary of the party,Sen Samuel Anyanwu, pending the hearing and determination of the Motion on Notice,before it

“The Court also restrained the PDP, the Acting National Chairman,the National Executive Committee(NEC), the National Working Committee(NWC), the Board of Trustees(BoT),their privies,officers, agents or servants howsoever described from directing the Deputy National Secretary,Hon. Setonji Koshoedo
or any other person to act as National Secretary of the PDP.

“The Order also restrained our Deputy National Secretary from issuing any notice of meetings of the National Executive Committee and National Working Committee,signing any document or performing any function of the National Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party, except in the absence of the National Secretary and when directed by the National Secretary to so act,pending the hearing and determination of the Motion on Notice

“The presiding Judge,Justice Yusuf Halilu further restrained all the defendants, their privies,officers,agents or servants howsoever described from truncating the tenure of office of the National Secretary,Sen Samuel Nnemeka Anyanwu in any manner pending the hearing and determination of the Motion on Notice before it,which has been fixed for January 28,2025.”

Abdullahi said ,accordingly, as a law-abiding party, the PDP “is obliged to respect the order of the court and also send a legal representation to defend the party in the suit when the Motion on Notice comes up on January 8th, 2025,and February 5th, 2025, for hearing,on the originating summons”.

The party therefore, appealed to all PDP members to be restrained and law-abiding in waiting for the final position of the court on this matter

“With several precedences serving as references,we ought to be guided as a party not to fall prey to the antics of our political traducers in and outside of the PDP by playing to the gallery on matters of law and Constitutionality

“Regardless of this outcome and the feathers ruffled as a result,let us as a party rededicate ourselves to the sacred duty of constitutionalism and adherence to the rule of law . Our responsibility as the major opposition party in the land must not be lost on the alter of mere leadership tussle,especially where we are so guided by the extant provisions of our own laws. We must regulate our conduct to conform with civilised practices to avert “trowing away the baby with the bath water”

“Nigeria looks up to the PDP for rescue from the strangle-hold and clutches of oppression, cluelessness, and ineptitude of the APC-led government,” he said