As more chieftains and stakeholders in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) mount pressure on the remnants of the party’s National Working Committee (NWC) to resign their appointments like the former chairman, Adamu Muazu and the former Chairman of PDP Board of Trustees (BoT), Associate Editor, Sam Egburonu, in this report wonder how long they will hold on
Since the results of the March 28, 2015 Presidential and National Assembly elections confirmed the defeat of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), the party and its leaders, especially its members of the National Working Committee, have been engaged in a grim battle for survival.
Besides losing governorship elections in the conventional APC states like Lagos, Ogun, Oyo, and Imo, PDP also lost in its traditional states like Niger, Kaduna, Benue, Bauchi and Jigawa, among others and from June 4, when the new National Assembly would be inaugurated, the party, which has ruled the country in the last 16 years, will become the leading opposition party in the Senate with only 49 senators since APC now has 60 members in the upper House.
The blame game that trailed this electoral Holocaust has torn PDP apart, leaving the leaders, especially the members of the National Working Committee (NWC) fighting for their survival. The first official that received the blame for the failure of the party, and whose immediate resignation was widely sought was the party’s National Chairman, Alhaji Adamu Muazu.
The fire to chase out Muazu was first lighted when PDP governors, led by the then Chairman of the PDP Governors’ Forum and former governor of Akwa Ibom State, Godswill Akpabio, and members of the Presidential Campaign Organisation (PDPPCO) openly pointed accusing finger at him for the party’s failure.
For example, both Ekiti State governor, Ayodele Fayose and the PDPPCO spokesperson, Chief Femi Fani- Kayode, plainly called for the sack of PDP’s NWC, identifying him and other members of the NWC as directly responsible for the party’s “disastrous” outing in the Presidential and National Assembly elections.
Accusing PDP’s NWC of ‘betraying’ Jonathan, Fani-Kayode, the PDPPCO’s Director of Media and Publicity, said: “We must throw out the bad eggs in the NWC and prepare for a long-drawn war of attrition with the new incoming government. In order to survive over the next four years as a party, we must make the necessary changes at the top, otherwise we will be utterly decimated.”
Other organised groups that started the battle to sack PDP’s NWC include a group identified as PDP National Renaissance Movement. Its Coordinator, Dr. Ayakeme Whisky, was quoted then as saying, that “in order to effectively rebuild and reposition the party as a credible opposition with intent to win back power in 2019 at the centre, there is urgent need for immediate injection of fresh minds, fresh ideas, fresh vision and fresh strategies at all levels of the party.”
As would be expected, Muazu did not bow to the pressure to quit without putting up a fight. His first reaction was to blame the presidency for sidelining the party’s National Working Committee, alleging that the election funding and administration were concentrated on the Presidential Campaign Organisation.
For two tension-socked weeks the battle for the ouster of Muazu raged before he eventually bowed to pressure and tendered his resignation. Citing “failing health” he eventually submitted his letter of resignation to his deputy, Prince Uche Secondus.
PDP National Secretary, Professor Adewale Oladipo, while addressing journalists at the end of the 399th meeting of the NWC, said, “The National Working Committee (NWC) of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), at its 399th meeting today, Wednesday, May 20, 2015 received and accepted the voluntary resignation of the National Chairman of our great party, Ahmadu Adamu Mu’azu.
“Consequently, in line with the provisions of sections 45 (2) of the PDP constitution, the Deputy National Chairman, Prince Uche Secondus, acts in place of the National Chairman pending a replacement from the North-East zone”.
Our investigation shows that though the current tenure of the North-East, which Muazu occupied, is scheduled to end by March next year, some elements in the PDP, who want nothing less than total removal of the current PDP NWC, are not willing to wait that long.
But defendants of the current NWC are quick to point out that Article 47(6) of PDP’s Constitution as amended in 2012 says: “Where a vacancy occurs in any of the offices of the party, the Executive Committee at the appropriate level shall appoint another person from the area or zone where the officer originated from, pending the conduct of election to fill the vacancy.”
While the debate over the fate of the remnants of PDP’s NWC remained hot, other unexpected developments have popped up to complicate the crisis within the former ruling party.
For example, few hours after Muazu’s resignation, news filtered in that the Chairman, Board of Trustees (BoT) of the party, Chief Tony Anenih, has also resigned.
Some commentators said Anenih’s exit, was aimed at making way for former President Goodluck Jonathan to step in and take effective leadership of the party. Aside counter reports that Jonathan rejected the BoT offer, there are indications that some powerful elements in the party are convinced that until all the members of the NWC leave the scene, the party cannot make any head way in its new role as the leading opposition party.
As a result, the remnants of the party’s NWC have been fighting desperately to retain their jobs even as more prominent PDP chieftains insist they must all go.
One of the latest chieftains that have joined in the call for their exit is the former National Chairman of the party, PDP, Prince Vincent Ogbulafor. He told newsmen in Umuahia that all the NWC members should take the path of honour by bowing out of the committee.
Describing the resignation of the National Chairman and the Chairman of the Board of Trustees (BoT) of the party, Alhaji Adamu Mu’azu and Chief Tony Aninih, respectively, as a welcome development, he said, “I feel happy about their resignation because I feel they did so in the interest of the party.
“So, I feel it is better for all the committee members to voluntarily resign if they love the party and want it to survive.”
He also advised the committee to accept responsibility for the “party’s woeful performance in the 2015 general elections” and the failure to deliver Goodluck Jonathan for a second tenure in office as president.
The Acting National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, Uche Secondus, in his reaction to the calls insisted that he and other remaining members of the party’s National Working Committee would not resign.
Following the criticisms and calls for their resignation, Secondus had led the remnants of the party’s NWC members to a closed-door meeting with outgoing President Goodluck Jonathan, late last week, shortly after Muazu and Anenih’s resignations.
Speaking to newsmen at the Presidential Villa after the crucial meeting, Secondus said, “You know that call is not right, it is unconstitutional, because the chairman did that voluntarily and the BoT Chairman also did that voluntarily.
“Some of the others have tenure. At the end of our tenure, if we are re-elected, fine; if not, fine. That is the right thing to do. There is no reason for us to resign because we have worked hard.”
Apart from Secondus, who has emerged as the Acting National Chairman, other members of the PDP National Working Committee who have reportedly refused to cut short their tenure because of the electoral misfortunes of the party include, Prof. Adewale Oladipo, the National Secretary; Hon. Chief Onwe Solomon Onwe, the Deputy National Secretary; Victor Kwon, the National Legal Adviser; Elder Bolaji Anani, the National Financial Secretary; Chief (Mrs.) Kema Chikwe, the National Woman Leader; Chief Olisa Metuh, the National Publicity Secretary; Alhaji Bala Buhari, the National Treasurer; Alhaji Adewale Adeyanju, the National Auditor; Alhaji Abdullahi Hussaini Maibasira, the National Youth Leader and Alhaji Abubakar Mustapha, the National Organising Secretary.
It remains to be seen how far they would hold on to the mounting pressure.