After successful National caucus, BoT and NEC meetings, what next for PDP?

When the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), held its 74th National Executive Committee (NEC), meeting in Abuja on Tuesday, July 18, this year, the list of who is who in attendance clearly left nobody in doubt that the party is set for a serious business.

Those in attendance at the NEC meeting, which held barely a week after the Supreme Court, the nation’s apex court, finally ruled on the protracted leadership crisis that had rocked the opposition party for almost a year and tore it into factions, were quite conversant that there are lot of work to be done within a short period if the party must be reckoned with again.

The meeting was preceded by the expanded national caucus meeting of the party, which took place on Monday night, as well as the national caucus meeting and that of the Board of Trustees (BoT).

Majority of the members in attendance were eager to get the party back on its feet again. They knew that time was of essence and that a stitch in time saves nine. They are not unaware that so many things needed to be done within a short period and that time waits for no man.

The list of those in attendance was not only impressive, but clearly showed positive sign or indication that the opposition PDP is very determined to rise again.

Among those in attendance at the 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 the National Assembly.

Also in attendance were: Governors of Ekiti State and Chairman of PDP Governor’s Forum, Mr. Ayodele Fayose, Akwa Ibom State governor, Mr. Udom Emmanuel, his Cross River State counterpart, 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.

In his opening address, the National Chairman of the party, Sen. Makarfi congratulated all members of NEC and the entire members and supporters of PDP nationwide on their steadfastness leading to the resounding victory of the party at the Supreme Court on July 12, 2017.

Makarfi thanked Nigerians for standing strong with the PDP during the period of its crisis and specially, congratulated the PDP governors for remaining in the party irrespective of provocations and temptations from different quarters.

When the meeting eventually came to an end after some hours, the NEC resolved to convene a non- elective special national convention on August 12′ this year in Abuja.

The NEC 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.

The National Publicity Secretary of the National Caretaker Committee (NCC), Prince Dayo Adeyeye disclosed these while addressing Journalists on the outcome of the meeting.

Prince Adeyeye explained that the party’s decision to go for non-elective special national convention on the 12th of August 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), in accordance with section 31 (2a) of the party’s constitution among others.

According to the National Publicity Secretary, “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 judgement 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 in 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.

“On 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 n 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,” he said.

However, having successfully held its first set of meetings, after the ruling of the Supreme Court, some questions that readily come to mind include: Can the PDP continue to have its meetings and other activities smoothly and without much disagreements subsequently?

Can the party really get its act together at its forthcoming non-elective convention of August 12 as well as the one that would elect its substantive national officers after?

Can the National Caretaker Committee, NCC, of the party, under the chairmanship of Makarfi really handle the various crises at its states’ chapters ranging from parallel executives to imposition and their ilk?

As a matter of fact, has the PDP learnt any lesson from the leadership crisis which has cost it a lot in terms of electoral fortune and members who have defected to other parties?

The way and manner the Makarfi-led national leadership of the party handles the various issues within the party, diplomatically and maturely, will go a long way in determining the direction the PDP will go in the next few months.
END

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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.