Faced
with a gradual erosion of their influence in the affairs of the Peoples
Democratic Party (PDP) following covert moves by loyalists of President
Goodluck Jonathan to take over the party machinery in states, governors elected
on the party’s platform have launched a bid to reassert their influence.
with a gradual erosion of their influence in the affairs of the Peoples
Democratic Party (PDP) following covert moves by loyalists of President
Goodluck Jonathan to take over the party machinery in states, governors elected
on the party’s platform have launched a bid to reassert their influence.
THISDAY
gathered Tuesday that the governors would meet Wednesday in Abuja to brainstorm
on the strategy to adopt in ensuring that they gain the upper hand in the
impending showdown that is looming between them and Jonathan as well as his
foot soldiers in the party.
gathered Tuesday that the governors would meet Wednesday in Abuja to brainstorm
on the strategy to adopt in ensuring that they gain the upper hand in the
impending showdown that is looming between them and Jonathan as well as his
foot soldiers in the party.
The
president and the governors have been at loggerheads over attempts by Jonathan
and his associates to wrest the control of the party from the hands of the
governors ahead of the 2015 general election.
president and the governors have been at loggerheads over attempts by Jonathan
and his associates to wrest the control of the party from the hands of the
governors ahead of the 2015 general election.
According
to sources, the president’s associates are not sure they could count on the
support of the executive councils of the state chapters of the party should
Jonathan decide to run for a second term in office in the 2015 presidential
election.
to sources, the president’s associates are not sure they could count on the
support of the executive councils of the state chapters of the party should
Jonathan decide to run for a second term in office in the 2015 presidential
election.
In
states where the PDP is the ruling party, the executive councils are peopled by
party officials loyal to the governors.
states where the PDP is the ruling party, the executive councils are peopled by
party officials loyal to the governors.
It was
the quest for the party control at state level that led to the lingering crisis
in Adamawa State chapter of the PDP which led the party’s National Working
Committee (NWC) to dissolve the state executive council of the party on October
17, 2012.
the quest for the party control at state level that led to the lingering crisis
in Adamawa State chapter of the PDP which led the party’s National Working
Committee (NWC) to dissolve the state executive council of the party on October
17, 2012.
The
council, headed by Alhaji Mijinyawa Kaugama, which was loyal to the state
Governor, Admiral Murtala Nyako, was replaced by a caretaker committee headed
by Ambassador Umar Damagun.
council, headed by Alhaji Mijinyawa Kaugama, which was loyal to the state
Governor, Admiral Murtala Nyako, was replaced by a caretaker committee headed
by Ambassador Umar Damagun.
The
Damagun interim committee was saddled with the responsibility of organising
congresses that would lead to the emergence of a new executive council for the
party.
Damagun interim committee was saddled with the responsibility of organising
congresses that would lead to the emergence of a new executive council for the
party.
Attempts
by the governors, who rallied round Nyako, to stave off the attempt to wrest
the control of the party from him, failed as the caretaker committee, despite
the setting up of a presidential committee, headed by Jigawa State Governor,
Alhaji Sule Lamido, to mediate in the crisis went ahead with the congresses
from the ward to state levels in Adamawa.
by the governors, who rallied round Nyako, to stave off the attempt to wrest
the control of the party from him, failed as the caretaker committee, despite
the setting up of a presidential committee, headed by Jigawa State Governor,
Alhaji Sule Lamido, to mediate in the crisis went ahead with the congresses
from the ward to state levels in Adamawa.
In
furtherance of the efforts by the president and his associates to whittle down
the influence of the governors, the party NWC, acting on the January 11 order
of the Federal High Court, sitting in Abuja, which ordered the immediate sack
of the then PDP National Secretary, Olagunsoye Oyinlola, replaced him with his
deputy, Mr. Onwe S. Onwe, as the acting national secretary.
furtherance of the efforts by the president and his associates to whittle down
the influence of the governors, the party NWC, acting on the January 11 order
of the Federal High Court, sitting in Abuja, which ordered the immediate sack
of the then PDP National Secretary, Olagunsoye Oyinlola, replaced him with his
deputy, Mr. Onwe S. Onwe, as the acting national secretary.
The
governors played a major role in ensuring the emergence of Oyinlola as the
party’s national secretary at the last national convention of the PDP.
governors played a major role in ensuring the emergence of Oyinlola as the
party’s national secretary at the last national convention of the PDP.
Since
then, the party’s national secretariat has stood in the way of Oyinlola’s bid
to get a court order to stay the execution of the judgment pending the
determination of his appeal at the Court of Appeal.
then, the party’s national secretariat has stood in the way of Oyinlola’s bid
to get a court order to stay the execution of the judgment pending the
determination of his appeal at the Court of Appeal.
It was
gathered that the plot by the presidency was to gradually take over the control
of the machinery of the party in the states and either side line or remove
national party officials perceived to be loyal to the governors and replace
them with those loyal to the presidency.
gathered that the plot by the presidency was to gradually take over the control
of the machinery of the party in the states and either side line or remove
national party officials perceived to be loyal to the governors and replace
them with those loyal to the presidency.
The NWC,
purportedly acting under another court judgment, last week, also sacked Chief
Bode Mustapha as the national auditor of the party and replaced him with Abiola
Adeyanju.
purportedly acting under another court judgment, last week, also sacked Chief
Bode Mustapha as the national auditor of the party and replaced him with Abiola
Adeyanju.
It also
dismissed the South-west zonal executive of the party.
dismissed the South-west zonal executive of the party.
At
Wednesday’s meeting in Abuja, which is billed to hold after a meeting of the
Nigerian Governors Forum (NGF), the PDP will discuss the leadership crisis
rocking the party and how to stem it.
Wednesday’s meeting in Abuja, which is billed to hold after a meeting of the
Nigerian Governors Forum (NGF), the PDP will discuss the leadership crisis
rocking the party and how to stem it.
THISDAY
gathered that the PDP governors’ meeting would also review the sack of Mustapha
and his replacement by Adeyanju.
gathered that the PDP governors’ meeting would also review the sack of Mustapha
and his replacement by Adeyanju.
Also on
the agenda of the PDP governors are the Adamawa State PDP leadership crisis and
the sack of Mr. Segun Oni as the national vice-chairman of the party in the
South-west.
the agenda of the PDP governors are the Adamawa State PDP leadership crisis and
the sack of Mr. Segun Oni as the national vice-chairman of the party in the
South-west.
To show
how crucial the PDP governors’ meeting is, THISDAY gathered that the notice of
the meeting indicated that only governors are mandated to attend.
how crucial the PDP governors’ meeting is, THISDAY gathered that the notice of
the meeting indicated that only governors are mandated to attend.
This
will exclude the acting governors of Taraba and Cross River States whose
principals are currently not in the country.
will exclude the acting governors of Taraba and Cross River States whose
principals are currently not in the country.
Meanwhile,
at the NGF meeting, the governors of the 36 states of the federation are
expected to deliberate on the continued deductions from the Excess Crude
Account (ECA) and receive the report of a committee set up by the forum on
constitution amendment.
at the NGF meeting, the governors of the 36 states of the federation are
expected to deliberate on the continued deductions from the Excess Crude
Account (ECA) and receive the report of a committee set up by the forum on
constitution amendment.
The
governors, according to a source at the NGF secretariat, are to review their
stance on the ongoing constitution amendment process and the country’s security
challenges with a view to proffering solutions.
governors, according to a source at the NGF secretariat, are to review their
stance on the ongoing constitution amendment process and the country’s security
challenges with a view to proffering solutions.
Besides,
the governors would likely discuss the forum`s litigation against the Federal
Government on the management of ECA.
the governors would likely discuss the forum`s litigation against the Federal
Government on the management of ECA.
The
governors are presently challenging the Federal Government’s deductions from
the ECA to offset fuel subsidy, as they are of the view that the deductions
negate the principle of federalism and violate the 1999 Constitution.
governors are presently challenging the Federal Government’s deductions from
the ECA to offset fuel subsidy, as they are of the view that the deductions
negate the principle of federalism and violate the 1999 Constitution.
They are
asking the apex court to compel the Federal Government to adhere to the
provisions of the constitution on deductions from the account.
asking the apex court to compel the Federal Government to adhere to the
provisions of the constitution on deductions from the account.
Source: Thisday
