PDP heads for the rocks as Sheriff unilaterally fills vacant NWC posts
The crisis rocking the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) appears becoming intractable as its embattled National Chairman, Senator Ali Modu Sheriff has single-handedly filled the vacant positions in the National Working Committee of the party.
The posts became vacant following the aborted National Convention of the party held in Port Harcourt in May which produced the National Caretaker Committee led by Senator Ahmed Makarfi.
According to a letter Sheriff sent to INEC, the newly appointed officers are Mr. Okey Nnadozie – Acting National Organizing Secretary; Mr. Alonge-Niyi Dennis –Acting National Youth Leader; Mrs. Hannatu Ullam –Acting National Women Leader; and Mr. Bashir Maidugu –Acting National Legal Adviser.
Most of the appointments he announced were of some expired deputy national officers who have now become members of the NWC but in acting capacity.
According to the embattled chairman, the appointments were meant to fill five vacancies created by the resignation of some NWC members, saying the appointments were in accordance with the provisions of Sections 39(2), 42 (2), 43 (2), 44 (2) and 47 (6) of the party’s constitution.
Besides, Sheriff has gone tough by declaring the party’s governorship primaries held in Edo State on Monday which produced Ize-Iyamu as the party’s candidate in the forthcoming governorship election in the state in September as illegal.
The primaries, which were held by the Ahmed Makarfi led caretaker committee on Monday has been voided by Sheriff, saying the exercise was a contraption by an illegal care-taker committee.
He has called on party members in the state to disregard the exercise.
This was contained in a letter addressed to the Chairman of Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), signed by Sheriff and the National Secretary, Prof. Wale Oladipo.
The duo urged INEC not to confer legitimacy on the Edo primaries, saying the party would conduct a proper exercise to nominate a candidate.
Consequently, Sheriff has released a scheduled congress in the state to start fromJune 23rd-June 29th with the inauguration of a congress committee scheduled for Thursday.
Sheriff warned state chapter chairmen and other officers of the party to desist from holding meetings with the Makarfi committee, stressing that such actions would attract sanctions.
