PDP set to extend tenure of Makarfi’s NCC

.Fixes non-elective convention for August 12 in Abuja

.Ex-Borno gov vows to join anti-graft agencies to fight corruption

The tenure of the Senator Ahmed Makarfi-led National Caretaker Committee (NCC) of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) which expires on August 16, this year, is most likely to be extended for short period before the party holds its national convention to elect substantive national officers.

Already, the National Executive Committee (NEC) of the party has resolved to convene a non- elective special national convention on August 12 this year in Abuja.

The NEC of the party has similarly dissolved the various caretaker committees set up in some states, especially in Jigawa and Benue, under the immediate past leadership of Senator Ali Modu Sheriff.

The NEC meeting further set up two standing committees on discipline as well as reconciliation. The two standing committees are to be constituted immediately.

With the setting up of the reconciliation committee, the earlier national reconciliation committee, headed by the Governor of Bayelsa State, Hon. Seriake Dockson, stands dissolved.

These were some of the high points of the resolutions reached by the party after four different meetings held by its various organs between Monday night and Tuesday at its national secretariat in Abuja popularly known as “Wadata House”.

The National Publicity Secretary of the National Caretaker Committee (NCC) of the PDP, Prince Dayo Adeyeye, disclosed these on Tuesday while addressing journalists at the end of the meetings.

The expanded national caucus meeting of the party took place on Monday night, while the national caucus, Board of Trustees (BoT) and NEC meetings held on Tuesday.

The NCC of the party, when it was originally set up on May 21, 2016, was given 90 days to carry out its assignment.

The tenure of the national caretaker committee was later extended by one year at the party’s national convention in Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital, the same year.

Prince Adeyeye explained that the party’s decision to go for non-elective special national convention on August 12 is as a result of the long procedure involved in holding an elective national convention, which include giving a 21-day written notice to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and some other relevant organs in accordance with section 31 (2a) of the party’s constitution.

Adeyey said: “We took a decision on the National Convention. I want to inform you that if you recollect, on May 21st last year, there was a national convention in Port Harcourt which set up a caretaker committee. That committee went about doing its work and convened another Convention for August 17 last year.

“That Convention in Port Harcourt could not elect new officers due to certain circumstances. The convention then asked the National Caretaker Committee to continue in office for 12 months, which will lapse in August 16, 2017.

“We have been in court since May 2016. So, the prolonged litigation of the National leadership tussle ended only last week on 12th of July when the Supreme Court gave judgment in favour of the National Caretaker Committee, leaving barely one month for the conduct of proper elective national convention.

“Taking into account the relevant statutory notice that we need to give to INEC and the requirements of the PDP Constitution 2012 (as amended), practically, it is going to be impossible to have an elective national convention before August 16 because we need to give certain statutory notices to INEC. And our own has some special provisions that we have to meet and there’s no time to meet up with those provisions.

“Therefore, NEC took a decision that on view of all the circumstances, NEC invoking the powers conferred on it under Section 31 (2a), decided to convene non-elective national convention on August 12, 2017 in Abuja.

“People know that this party had been rocked by very terrible disciplinary issues, which nearly brought the party down completely. NEC decided to set up a standing Disciplinary and Reconciliation Committees. And the National Caretaker Committee has been directed to establish and inaugurate these committees immediately.

“The issue of the removal of state caretaker committees. You will recall that immediately after the Court of Appeal judgment on the 17th of February and March in Port Harcourt, which gave our victory to Ali Modu-Sheriff, he set about installing caretaker committees in some states of the federation, particularly in Jigawa and Benue states.

“The Ali Modu-Sheriff group then in authority set up caretaker committees in both Jigawa and Benue states and tinkered with the executives of some other states. So, we brought a motion before NEC today and the motion was duly passed.

“NEC declared and affirmed the leadership of the party in the two states of Jigawa and Benue that emerged after the April/May 2016 congresses.

“All state caretaker committees and state parallel executives set up after Court of Appeal judgment of February 17, 2017 at Port Harcourt to be passed and go by duly elected and return from the office forthwith.

“That is bringing normalcy back to the party, installing legality and constitutionality.

“Finally, we took a decision on important constitution amendments that we intend to effect at the next elective national convention that will come up later in the year. The constitutional amendment proposals have been circulated to relevant personalities and organs of the party”.

Although, Prince Adeyeye did not mention names of members likely to face the disciplinary committee to be set up, but there are strong indications that Senator Ali Modu Sheriff, his deputy, Dr. Cairo Ojougboh and other members of his group will be the first set of party members to face the committee.

The National Publicity Secretary of the PDP pointed out that the issue of parallel executives in some states would be resolved within the shortest possible period.

The NEC of the party, Adeyeye said, further made amendment proposals to the party’s constitution.

He however did not give details of the various sections of the party’s constitution being considered for amendment.

Speaking on the forthcoming Anambra State governorship election slated for November this year, Adeyeye explained that the issue is receiving “adequate attention” from the NCC and other relevant organs of the party.

Commenting on the issue of Lagos State Local government election coming up this Saturday, the National Publicity Secretary explained that the issue would be left for the state’s chapter of the PDP to handle, stressing however that if there are issues they cannot handle, such will be referred to the National Secretariat.

Meanwhile, the Supreme Court deposed National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, and former Governor of Borno State, Senator Ali Modu Sheriff, has vowed to collaborate with global anti-corruption networks to bring all corrupt politicians in Nigeria to book.

Sheriff pointed out that all Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) members having criminal cases bothering of dishonesty and malfeasance would also be brought to book.

The former PDP National Chairman, who was declared illegal by the nation’s apex court last week, in a statement by Hon. Bernard Mikko, who was the acting National Publicity Secretary of his faction then, declared that never again will corrupt politicians use the platform of the nation’s major political institutions to stardom.

The statement reads: “We will collaborate with global anti-corruption networks to bring all corrupt politicians in Nigeria to book, including PDP members having criminal cases bothering of dishonesty and malfeasance.

“Never again will corrupt politicians use the platform of our major political institutions to stardom.

“The party is for all and no one’s enterprise as government is conceived as an administrative state where dishonest politicians bask in democratic corruption”.

The statement explained that Senator Sheriff, who was neither in the country nor invited to the assemblage at Wadata Plaza on Monday evening, will address a World Press Conference (WPC) to throw light on the way forward “after we have received and studied the full judgment of the Supreme Court and analyzed its import on our democracy”.

“We therefore appeal to all our loyal supporters nationwide not to defect as we are still committed to bringing the party back to the grassroots.

“We assure them that we will not only give them a voice, but they will also be heard”, the statement added.

‘Who is who’ at the NEC meeting of the PDP

Among those in attendance at yesterday’s NEC meeting of the PDP were; the National Chairman, Senator Ahmed Makarfi, Deputy Senate President, Senator Ike Ekweremadu, National Secretary, Senator Ben Ndi Obi, Acting Chairman of the BOT, Amb. Aminu Wali, other members of the National Caretaker Committee, National Vice Chairmen and State Chairmen, Senate Minority Leader, Sen. Godswill Akpabio, House Minority Leader, Hon. Leo Ogor and other principal officers of National Assembly.

Also in attendance were: Governors of Ekiti State and Chairman of Governor’s Forum, Dr. Ayodele Fayose, Akwa Ibom State, Mr. Udom Emmanuel, Cross River State, Prof. Ben Ayade, Delta State, Sen. Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa, Taraba State, Arch. Darius Ishaku, Gombe State, Dr. Ibrahim Hassan Dankwambo, Deputy Governor of Bayelsa State, Rear Admiral John Jonah Gboribiogha and Deputy Governor of Abia State, Rt. Hon. Ude Oko Chukwu among others.