A Plot to expel the winner of the January 9, 2011 Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship primaries in Kogi State, Jibrin Isa Echocho, from the party failed at the weekend, it was learnt.
Echocho’s supporters have pointed accusing fingers at Kogi State Governor Idris Wada for masterminding the foiled plot.
Wada denied the allegation, saying he only attended a zonal meeting of the party held at the Kogi East Zonal headquarters of the PDP in Anyigba on Saturday as “the leader of the party in the state and a loyal party man.”
Echocho is still in court seeking to validate his governorship mandate.
It was further learnt that the leadership of the Kogi East Zone of the PDP has vowed to ensure the recall of four members of the House of Assembly from the area, should they continue to stick out their necks for the ‘sacked’ Speaker of the House, Abdullahi Bello.
One of the members who spoke in confidence to our correspondent said the affected lawmakers included Musa Idoko – Idah State Constituency, Abdullahi Zekeri, Deputy Chief Whip – Ankpa II Constituency, Emma Omedije – Okura/Dekina Constituency and
Yakubu Yunusa, Majority Leader from Ofu State Constituency.
Investigations revealed that the plan to allegedly expel Echocho from the PDP failed, following the presence of his supporters at the meeting.
It was gathered that when Echocho’s supporters became aware of the move, they mobilised en masse and stormed the secretariat from the local governments in Kogi East Senatorial District.
A highly-placed party source said it was believed that Wada attended the meeting to give official blessing to Echocho’s removal.
The source said the presence of the supporters wearing T-Shirts with Echocho’s photograph made the party leaders to have a rethink.
According to him, “the leaders of the party capitulated when they saw the charged atmosphere.”
The source added that the planned expulsion of Echocho was a follow up to the earlier suspension of another PDP chieftain in the state from Mopa Muro Local Government, Oyebode Makinde.
He said Makinde was suspended for challenging Wada’s swearing-in as governor by the President of the Customary Court of Appeal at a Federal High Court in Lokoja.
The party leaders were said to have appealed to Wada for funds to enable them carry out the activities of the party in the zone during the meeting.
The source said Wada told the leaders to channel their request to the local government liaison officers, as the state is not in a position to help.
He said the governor bemoaned the several crises and challenges his administration was facing and called on the leaders to pray for God’s intervention.
The source said: “After his meeting with the zonal party executive, they complained that they didn’t have funds and that they were hungry.
“The governor said the state has no money now because the cases in court against his government have drained the state’s resources and that he is short of funds.
“Wada appealed to the PDP members for prayers because of the crisis.
“He promised that he will help them when his administration stabilises.”
Echocho’s spokesman, Phrank Shuaibu, attributed the plot to the attempt by the governor to blackmail the judiciary.
He noted that the purported plan is a “clear indication of the clout Echocho maintains among party members as well as the people of Kogi State.”
Shuaibu said: “We are not disturbed by their unholy machinations because my boss is a loyal and committed member of the PDP who is in court against the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and not the PDP.
“The PDP voluntarily sought to join the suit and they were so joined by the court.
“In view of the desperation and brazen impunity associated with the characters leading this current plot, we urge well- meaning Nigerians to call these desperadoes to order as their comments and actions convey a more sinister intention of seeking to blackmail the judiciary on a matter that is before a court of competent jurisdiction. “We have repeatedly stated that our mandate is of God and freely given to us by PDP members in Kogi State.
“It is the same mandate that we have put before the judiciary based on the rule of law.
“We have neither resorted to self help nor attempted to circumvent the process by arm-twisting the judiciary.
“Why is it so difficult for these men and their fellow travellers to follow this time tested route?
“The other day, they compelled the President of a Customary Court of Appeal to swear in a governor, while there is a subsisting Chief Judge in Kogi State.
