•Says: ‘You cannot serve two masters’
•I have fought my case with decorum, due process, says Oyinlola
•Uncertainty over G-7 meeting with Jonathan today
THE Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Peoples Democratic Party, Chief Tony Anenih, has told the suspended National Secretary of the party, Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola, to dump the New PDP before his case can be considered by the party.
Oyinlola is battling for re-instatement as National secretary following his victory at the Court of Appeal.
The court ordered his return to office.
But the PDP has sent him and three others on suspension and ordered their trial for alleged anti-party activity by a disciplinary committee.
He said if Oyinlola truly craves reconciliation, he cannot afford to be claiming to be National Secretary of the PDP and at the same time hobnob with the New PDP.
Anenih made his feelings known in a letter to Oyinlola.
The PDP BoT Chairman said Oyinlola can only be reinstated if he defines where he belongs.
But a source close to Anenih said the letter was in response to an earlier one written by Oyinlola for the BOT Chairman’s intervention.
Anenih’s letter was delivered on Friday when Oyinlola was already out of Abuja, it was gathered.
Although none of the two leaders was ready to make the letter public, a reliable source said: “The BOT Chairman told Oyinlola that elders of the party are prepared to look at his case for reinstatement on merit but they cannot do so if he remains with the rebellious New PDP.
“Anenih said Oyinlola cannot claim to belong to old and New PDP at the same time. He asked him to renounce New PDP to pave the way for genuine and meaningful intervention.
“It is left to Oyinlola to take to Anenih’s advice since he has legal basis for coming back as the National Secretary of PDP.”
A source in Oyinlola’s camp said: “Oga is away from Abuja, he is the only one who can talk on the letter and his position.”
Oyinlola, however, yesterday restated his commitment to due process in order to resolve the crisis in the party.
He said he did his best to explore dialogue in fighting his cause with decorum.
He made his position known through a statement in Abuja by his Principal Secretary, Mr. Femi Adelegan.
He denied circumventing due process and spoke of efforts he made to “dialogue with the national leader, President Goodluck Jonathan and communicated my grievances to him in writing a number of times.”
He said he also “made representations to the Chief Tony Anenih Committee; I submitted a memorandum to the PDP Governors Panel headed by Alhaji Ibrahim Shema; consulted with the Prof. Jerry Gana Committee; and also had informal consultations with Governor Seriake Dickson’s Reconciliation Committee through a member of the Panel, Chief Dosu Fatokun; and expressed intention to discuss with them, among other moves to find an amicable solution to my illegal removal from office.
“Up till now, there have been no revelations about the outcome of these peace initiatives. I am surprised that some people have continued to trail Oyinlola with rabid and unimaginable downbeat intentions.
“I pray that history will be merciful in judgment to all actors in this saga; and that some people will refrain from continuing to take actions that could enter their names on the negative pages of history.’’
Oyinlola raised the alarm over recourse to impunity by some leaders of the party, especially some members of the PDP National Working Committee.”
He alleged “an indecent haste to nail us” and said “most of the stakeholders – legislators, state governors and elders of the party are unhappy at the trend of impunity and disregard for the Rule of Law and fundamental human rights exhibited by some members and attempts by some elements to push us out of the PDP at all costs.
“They have only kept quiet in the interest of their belief in reconciliation and hope that the leadership would tread the path of moral rectitude. If the NWC that ought to have called seven meetings of NEC since inception 20 months ago has succeeded in calling only two meetings, do you think stakeholders would be happy at being shut out?”
There were indications last night that the meeting between President Goodluck Jonathan and the G-7 governors scheduled for today may not proceed after all.
Sources said not all the governors had been reached in respect of the meeting.
One of the governors said: “Outside what we read in the newspapers, I have not been communicated and I know one or two others who have not been contacted.
“We are not sure whether the session will hold or not. And with the little health challenge of the President in London on Thursday, no one is sure if there will be resumption of talks.”
A November 12, 2013 letter addressed to the Leader of the G-7, Governor Babangida Aliyu, said the session would be held on Sunday, (24th November) in the First Lady’s Conference Room.
The letter, which was signed by the Chief of Staff to the President, Mike .A. Oghiadomhe, reads in part: “ I write to acknowledge the receipt of your letter dated 6th October, 2013, addressed to Mr. President, wherein you requested for the resumption of the postponed discussion between Mr. President and the seven governors.
“I am to invite you and the other governors to the follow-up meeting scheduled to hold in the First Lady’s Conference Room, State House, Abuja on Sunday, 24th November, 2013 at 21.00 hours.
“Please convey the message to other governors and accept the assurances of my warm regards.”
The President has not been able to meet the demands of the G-7 and the New PDP.
The conditions tabled by the G-7 governors for peace are :
• The sack of a factional National Chairman of the party, Alhaji Bamanga
. Reinstatement of the sacked National Secretary, Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola, and other members of the NWC
• Return of party structure to governors in Adamawa, Rivers, Kano, and other states
• Sticking to one -term tenure by the President by foregoing re-election in 2015
• Resolution of NGF and Rivers crises, including the lifting of suspension of Governor Rotimi Amaechi
• Stopping harassment of governors by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC)
But the President had so far made the following concessions which had been in the breach
• Immediate lifting of the suspension of Governor Rotimi Amaechi by the Bamanga Tukur-led PDP.
• Return of party structure to all the governors, including those of Rivers and Adamawa states.
• Raising a committee to visit Rivers State, like it was the case with Adamawa State, to build consensus and restore party structure to the governor.
• The governors and party leaders should tarry a while and leave Jonathan to decide the fate of the factional National Chairman of PDP, Tukur.
Source: The Nation
