Tag: PDP

…wants all litigation withdrawn to allow for reconciliation

A meeting of the House of Representatives caucus of the main opposition party, the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) failed to take a definite position on the national chairmanship of the party on Tuesday, April 16. 

The Nation gathered that one of th agenda of the meeting was to take a position of the national chairman by passing a vote of confidence on the acting national chairman, Umar Damagun.

But the lawmakers rose from the meeting after about two hours to ask members with cases in court that has prevented the emergence of a substantive national chairman to withdraw the cases and allow for total reconciliation. 

The meeting which summoned by the leader of the caucus and House minority leader, Kingsley Chinda, was initially billed to hold at  House Committee Room 301, but later took place at House Committee room 414.

Sources at the meeting said the main agenda of the pre-NEC meeting was to rally lawmakers believed believed to be loyal to the FCT minister, Nyesom Wike, to pass a vote of confidence on Damagun, but the plan failed 

It was gathered that the group of 60 lawmakers who initially asked Damagun to resign as acting national chairman had planned to immediately disowned the position of the caucus if they go ahead to pass a vote of confidence on Damagun. 

It was gathered that at the meeting, the group of 60 lawmakers under the auspices of opposition lawmakers coalition maintained their ground that the acting chairman should resign for someone from the north-central zone. 

But addressing journalists after the meeting, leader of the caucus, Kingsley Chinda, said the caucus agreed to asked all caucuses of the party and other stakeholders to immediately withdraw all cases pending in court that has hindered the party from producing a substantive national chairman. 

The caucus also gave the federal government a three months ultimatum to take measures to address and end the currently insecurity in the country, failure which it will mobilise Nigerians to take their security in their hands. 

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Chinda who is also the Minority Leader of the House said the party leadership should embark on an immediate reconciliation measure to ensure that the party takes back it’s position in the country. 

Chinda said: “We have just concluded  the third meeting of the People’s Democratic Party caucus  in the 10th Assembly and have resolved to tell all of us and the world that we are one and remained United, indivisible, committed  and out to perform her duty as the watchdog on behalf of the Nigerian people.

“In the same vein, we x-rayed the security situation in the country and resolved that we can no longer accept the situation where Nigeria is today tagged one life, one minute silence. 

“The government is therefore called upon to immediately take steps to ensure that the security situation in the country is normalised and the caucus has also given a three month ultimatum for government to normalise the security situation in our country. 

“After three months, the caucus will take further steps to sensitise and mobilise Nigerians to perhaps take their security in their hands. 

“The House caucus also agreed to call on all party caucuses, the Board of Trustees, National Executive Committee and the National Working Committee of the party to embark on reconciliation measures with a view to resolving all litigation that are pending and has hindered the party in any way whatsoever from having a substantive national chairman. 

“We call on our leaders in the PDP to continue to demonstrate unconditional loyalty to the party and ensure that the party reclaim her pride of place where she enjoyes the position of the largest party in Africa and to take back the Aso Villa which actually supposed to be our birth right. 

“For us, we are going back as we resume the session to commence a strong, virile and purpose driven opposition to give the people a voice in the parliament. 

“We also called on the Senate Leadership to please take steps to recall our colleague and senior brother, a veteran politician, a parliamentarian per excellence, Abdul Ningi.”

…nothing to worry about, says Atiku loyalists

Despite concerns that the strict restrictions announced for Wednesday’s Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) National Executive Council meeting may not favour Atiku loyalists, the group has conveyed their indifference. 

The National Working Committee convened their routine weekly meeting at the PDP headquarters on Tuesday. 

The national caucus meeting is scheduled to occur at a Governor’s Lodge in Asokoro on Wednesday night. 

The PDP Board of Trustees and the NEC will hold also their respective meetings at the PDP headquarters at 10 am and 2 pm on Thursday.

In a statement issued on Tuesday afternoon, the national publicity secretary of the PDP, Debo Ologunagba, declared that all those who are not constitutionally recognised as members of the PDP National Executive Council should stay away.

He said: “The National Working Committee (NWC) of our great Party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) informs all members of the National Executive Committee (NEC) that the 98th NEC meeting scheduled for Thursday, April 18, 2024 will commence at 2pm.

“By this announcement all NEC members are expected to arrive promptly at the NEC Hall of the PDP National Secretariat, Abuja for the commencement of the meeting.

“For the purpose of accreditation, only Constitutionally Accredited members of NEC will be allowed into the meeting. 

“All members of the Party should please take note and be guided accordingly.”

However, a former special assistant to President Olusegun Obasanjo, Chief Emmanuel Olusunle who identifies as a strong loyalists of former vice president, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar told ‘The Nation’ that neither Atiku nor his loyalists feel bothered as they still feel optimistic about PDP’s prospects after the meetings.

Olusunle said: “A dominant character trait of Atiku Abubakar is that he is perennially nonplussed; if you were speaking to him in person, he would almost predictably be calm and smiling.

“The PDP is not the kind of institution that can be procured off store shelves like we procure beverages and similar things and no singular individual can warehouse a political party which has evolved over 25 years now in his pocket. 

“The PDP will come out of the forthcoming National Executive Committee, (NEC), much less rancorous than before,” he optimistically remarked.

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The conclusions of PDP national caucus will determine the direction of subsequent meetings.

Under Chapter 4, Part VIII of the PDP constitution, the composition of the PDP national caucus are as follows:

30(1) There shall be a National Caucus of the Party which shall consist of-

(a) the National Chairman, who shall be the chairman,

(b) the President and Vice President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, who are members of the Party;

(c) the Senate President and Deputy Senate President, the Leader and Deputy Leader, the Chief Whip and Deputy Chief Whip of the Party in the Senate, who are members of the Party;

(d) the Speaker and Deputy Speaker, the Leader and Deputy Leader, the Chief Whip and Deputy Chief Whip of the party in the House of Representatives, who are members of the party;

(e) six (6) Governors who are members of the Party nominated by the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria bearing in mind the need for spread;

(f) the Chairman and Secretary of the Board of Trustees and one member drawn from each of the SIX geo-political zones,

(g) the Deputy National Chairman;

(h) the National Secretary of the Party, who shall be the Secretary of the National Caucus;

(i) the National Legal Adviser and the National Treasurer;

(j) the National Woman Leader and the National Youth Leader;

(k) the Deputy National Secretary and the National Financial Secretary;

(l) the National Organizing Secretary and the National Publicity Secretary;

(m)the National Auditor;

(n) the National Vice Chairmen of the Party;

(o) three Federal Ministers, who are members of the Party, nominated by the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, one of whom shall be the Attorney General of the Federation;

(p) the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, if a member of the Party, and

(q) The National Security Adviser, if a member of the Party.

It also specifies the functions of the Caucus as well as the process of its meetings.

(2) The National Caucus shall –

(a) harmonize the relationship between the Executive and Legislative arms of government and coordinate their activities and those of the Party; and

(b) Consider, review and advise on policies and programmes of government Meetings

(3) The National Chairman shall, in consultation with the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, if produced by the party, summon a meeting of the National Caucus, to consider important issues affecting the Party and the nation.

(4) An extra-ordinary meeting of the National Caucus shall be held if requested for by two-third of the members of the Caucus and a simple majority shall pass any motion.

(5) The quorum of the National Caucus shall be two-third of its membership.

A Federal High Court, Abuja,yesterday, fixed April 16 for hearing of a suit seeking to stop former Chairman, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Uche Secondus, from participating in the party’s meetings.

Justice Inyang Ekwo, in a short ruling, also fixed the date in a separate suit filed to bar sacked Rivers governor, Celestine Omehia, from attending the PDP’s National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting pending the hearing and determination of the matter.

Titus Jones, a member of the PDP at Ward 5, Ikuru Town, Andoni Local Government Area (LGA) of the state, had filed a suit marked: FHC/ABJ/CS/440/2024.

In the suit, Secondus; PDP; acting PDP Chairman, Umar Damagun; PDP Secretary, Samuel Anyanwu; PDP NEC; PDP National Working Committee (NWC); PDP Board of Trustees (BoT) and Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) are 1st to 8th defendants respectively.

Jones, through his counsel, Joshua Musa, SAN, had sought an order restraining the NEC, NWC, party’s chairman, secretary, and BoT from allowing Secondus to attend any of the meetings pending the hearing and determination of the motion on notice, having been suspended from the party.

Also in another suit filed by Precious Wobisike, a member of PDP at Ubima Ward 8, Ikwerre LGA, Omehia, PDP, Damagun, Anyanwu, NEC and INEC as 1st to 6th defendants respectively.

In the originating summons marked: FHC/ABJ/CS/436/24, Wobisike, also through Musa, sought an order of Injunction restraining Omehia from demanding from Anyanwu, the party’s secretary, any notice of meetings of the NEC.

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He also sought an order of injunction restraining Omehia from attending any NEC meeting of the party or participating in the proceedings/deliberations of such meetings in any manner howsoever.

Besides, Wobisike sought an order of injunction restraining Anyanwu from giving notice of meetings of the NEC to Omehia, “not being a former Governor of Rivers State as to be a member of the National Executive Committee.”

He equally sought an order restraining INEC from according recognition to the reports, proceedings, conclusions or resolutions reached at any NEC meeting attended by Omehia.

This, he said, is in violation of the judgment of the Supreme Court in the case of AMAECHI v. INEC (2008) 5 NWLR (Pt. 1080) p. 227, the judgment of the High Court of Rivers in the case of Sir Celestine Omehia v. The Governor of Rivers  & 2 Ors – Suit No: PHC/3317/CS/2022 and Article 31(1)(w) of the Constitution of PDP (2017 as amended).”

Justice Ekwo had, on April 5, granted the motions ex-parte moved by Musa on behalf of Jones and Wobisike restraining Secondus and Omehia from participating in the party’s meetings pending the hearing and determination of the substantive matters.

The judge, who ordered that the processes be served on the respondents within five days, fixed the matter for today for motion on notice.

When the first matter was called, Musa, who appeared for Wobisike, told the court that the ex-parte order had been served on the defendants.

He said the matter was fixed for hearing of the motion on notice.

However, Ibrahim Mark, who represented Omehia, told the court that they were served on Monday and due to the public holiday, they were yet to regularise their processes.

He sought an adjournment to enable them regularise their court documents.

M. S. Atolagbe, who appeared for 2nd to 5th defendants, aligned with Mark’s submission, and Musa did not oppose the application for adjournment.

Justice Ekwo consequently adjourned the matter until April 16 for hearing.

The judge equally fixed the sister case against Secondus to April 16 for hearing.

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is to hold local government area Congress in Ondo State on Saturday.

According to a statement by PDP National Publicity Secretary, Debo Ologunagba, the exercise will take place at the INEC Collation Centre in each local government headquarters across Ondo State.

 According to Ologunagba,  the National Working Committee(NWC) of the PDP has approved the nomination of party members to serve on the Local Government Area (LGA) Congress Electoral Committee that will conduct the LGA National Delegates congress for the purpose of electing one (1) National Delegate per LGA in Ondo State.

Read Also: Alleged anti-party activities: PDP in dillema over sanction for Wike, others

The committee is to be chaired by the PDP House of Representatives Minority Leader, Honourable Kingsley Chinda.

Other members of the committee are  Hon. Kalu Uduma,  Dr. Taiwo Adeniyi and Mr. Abdulhamid Yusuf  while Alhaji Ismaila Alkali will act as Secretary.

“The NWC charges all Governorship aspirants, leaders, critical stakeholders and members of our great Party in Ondo State to take note and be guided accordingly,” Ologunagba stated.

The Minority Leadership of the House of Representatives has disowned the coalition of opposition lawmakers in the House, saying the body was not known to the parliament. 

A group of lawmakers, which called itself Coalition of Opposition Lawmakers led by Ikenga Imo Ugochiyere on Monday, called for the resignation of the Acting National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Umar Damagun. 

At a news conference in Abuja by six PDP lawmakers, Ugochiyere claimed that the coalition was made up of about 60 opposition lawmakers, accusing Damagun of practically handing over the structures of the party in the States to the All Progressives Congress (APC). 

The names of the 60 lawmakers that make up the coalition was not made available. 

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But in a swift reaction, the Minority leadership in the cautioned the members concerned asking them to resist from what they called un- parliamentary practice. 

The statement, disowning the coalition was signed by the four members that constitute the minority leadership in the House. 

They are: Kingsley Chinda, (PDP-Caucus and Minority Leader); Ali Madaki, (NNPP and Deputy leader); Ali Isah  J.C. (PDP and Minority Whip) and George Ozodinobi, (LP and Deputy Minority Whip).

The statement reads: “Our attention has been drawn to a press release by the group and state unequivocally that the Minority caucus and PDP Caucus dissociate themselves from the said press statement. 

“The said coalition of lawmakers led by Hon Ikenga Ugochinyere is unknown to the parliament and both caucuses condemn 

in totality the absurd move, uncouth and unparliamentary language of the group.

“That the general public should take note that such a coalition is unknown to parliament and their demands does not represent that of the Minority parties.

“The said lawmakers should desist from further misinformation of the public and be more honourable in their conduct”.