Power struggle in the Peoples Democratic Party’s (PDP’s) National Working Committee (NWC) has deepened the crisis in the opposition platform ahead of next month’s National Convention.
The convention, scheduled for Ibadan, Oyo State capital, is billed for November 15 and 16.
The fresh discord is triggered by the decision of the divided NWC to dissolve the Akwa Ibom State chapter and set up a caretaker committee.
While a section of the party leadership, led by the National Chairman, Ambassador Umar Damagum, approved the decision, other party officers, led by the National Secretary, Senator Samuel Anyanwu, voided it.
Anyanwu explained that there was no formal sitting of the NWC where the decision was ratified.
The secretary chided the Publicity Secretary, Debo Ologunagba, for misleading the Akwa Ibom chapter and the public with a fabricated decision.
Trouble started when the secretary rejected a directive from the chairman to summon the NWC meeting to deliberate on the composition of the Akwa Ibom State Executive Committee.
Ologunagba explained that a new caretaker committee for the chapter was set up to replace the state executive committee controlled by the governor, Pastor Umo Eno, who had defected from the party to the All Progressives Congress (APC).
However, Anyanwu said any meeting of NWC presided by Damagum without a prior notice by him as provided by the PDP Constitution is illegal, null and void.
The secretary said that he has the constitutional duty of taking the notes of the meeting, which was not exercised.
Anyanwu, insisting that the NWC never decided on the dissolution of the leadership of the party in the state, pointed out that the National Executive Committee (NEC), and not the NWC, has the power to dissolve any state executive committee.
A letter by Anyanwu, dated October 1, and titled: “RE: Dissolution of Akwa Ibom State Working Committee,” reads: “My attention has been drawn to the purported press statement by the National Publicity Secretary (NPS) of our party, announcing the dissolution of the State Working Committee of Akwa Ibom State.
“For purposes of clarity, that press statement should be discountenanced because there was no formal sitting of the National Working Committee (NWC) in which such a decision was taken.
“It is not in the official position and duties of the national Publicity secretary to take actions relating to the implementation of the decisions of the National Working Committee of our party. As a result, the purported press statement is null and void and of no effect.
“The State Working Committee of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in Akwa Ibom State stands un-dissolved.
“Please, consider this letter as the rightful authority for you to continue in your duties as provided in the PDP Constitution 2017, as amended.”
Anyanwu is a member of the Nyesom Wike camp that has been locked in conflict with Damagum over the position of the national leadership on outstanding party issues.
Anyanwu can’t void NWC’s decision, says Ologunagba
Ologunagba said Anyanwu, who claimed to have voided the NWC’s decision, went beyond his constitutional role.
Citing the PDP Constitution, he said only the national chairman can summon any meeting of the party, adding that the 607th meeting was duly held and decisions binding on the party taken.
He said 16 of the 18 NWC members attended the meeting where the situation in the Akwa Ibom chapter was discussed and decision taken.
Ologunagba dismissed reports of a crisis between the acting national chairman and the national secretary over the conduct of congresses in some states and the setting up of a caretaker committee for the chapter.
He said it was important for every member of the NWC to understand their role as contained in the constitution to avoid violations.
The secretary, who also spoke on Channels Television last night, accused Anyanwu of promoting his personal interest
He said: “There was indeed a meeting of the NWC summoned by the national chairman in line with the constitution. It was attended by 16 of 19 members. The national secretary was absent, and having failed to issue the notice of meeting as directed by the chairman, the chairman exercised his powers under Section 29 of our constitution to summon the meeting. “Decisions were taken, including the dissolution of the Akwa Ibom executives, and I was directed to communicate same. That is what I did.”
He insisted that Anyanwu’s rejection of the decision was not in defence of party interest.
Ologunagba added: “What you are seeing is the projection of personal interest above the collective interest of the PDP. It is not in the duties of the national secretary to nullify decisions of the NWC simply because he was absent or disagrees personally,” Ologunagba declared.
Explaining why the Akwa Ibom executives were dissolved, he said the NWC acted on reports that the state structure was compromised and in open alignment with the APC.
He said: “Section 10 (6) of our constitution is clear: no member of the party shall align with other parties or groups to undermine the PDP. The Akwa Ibom executive was openly controlled by the governor, who even boasted in public that he was in charge of PDP and APC in the state. For us, that was unacceptable.”
Ogidi: caretaker committee in order
The National Vice Chairman (Southsouth), Chief Emmanuel Ogidi defended the setting up of the caretaker committees for Akwa Ibom and Cross River.
He said: “Since the governors left, we thought all was well. We found out that a few people were taking advantage of it. The NWC of the party intervened and set up a caretaker committee to manage the affairs, pending when the issues would be resolved. It is an NWC decision that must be respected.”
Last month, members of the group met at the minister’s official residence in Abuja, warning that failure to meet their demands would “render the proposed convention invalid as legitimate members of the party would be disenfranchised.”
At the meeting were Wike; PDP National Secretary Senator Samuel Anyanwu; former Ekiti State Governor Ayodele Fayose; former Enugu State Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi; former Abia State Governor Okezie Ikpeazu; and former Benue State Governor Samuel Ortom.
The meeting was also attended by the Speaker of the Rivers House of Assembly, Martins Amaewhule, Senator Phillips Aduda, Senator George Sekibo, Micah Jiba, some serving and former members of the National Assembly, as well as some state chairmen and some BoT members.
A communique read by Ortom listed the demands:
• Fresh congresses to be held in Ebonyi and Anambra states in compliance with subsisting court judgments;
• A new Southeast Zonal Congress must be conducted.
• The outcome of the Southsouth Congress in Calabar, upheld by the courts, must be respected;
• PDP should conduct the Ekiti local government congresses in line with judicial pronouncements;
• There should be no micro-zoning of offices beyond the general zoning formula adopted by the National Executive Committee (NEC) to maintain peace and stability; and
• The national chairmanship position must remain in the Northcentral, consistent with the zoning arrangement of the 2021 convention.
Before the meeting, Wike, who had spoken on the preparations for the convention on a television station programme, said: “The issue of the national convention is not the problem; the issue is the problem leading to the convention, and people should understand that.
“If they are not well taken care of, there is a likelihood that the convention will not hold.”
Wike also said the choice of venue was not in dispute, insisting that the party must resolve its internal issues before convening.
He stressed: “The venue is not the subject matter, the subject matter is: ‘Have you done what you were supposed to do before holding that convention? If not, it may be a setback.”
