PDP govs, NWC members clash over party chairmanship

Governors of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the national working committee of the party are not on the same page as to how to resolve the crisis rocking the party over its leadership.

On Wednesday, Ahmed Gulak, former special adviser to ex-President Goodluck Jonathan on political affairs, stormed the headquarters of the PDP in Abuja, attempting to take over the control of the party.

He said Uche Secondus, acting national chairman of the party, could no longer pilot the affairs of the PDP since a federal high court in Abuja had asked him to step down.

However, while both the governors and the NWC condemned Gulak’s action, they disagreed on the way forward.

As against the governors, who directed Secondus to hand over to Adewale Oladipo, current national secretary, the NWC asked him to continue in office.

“The national working committee (NWC) of the Peoples Democratic Party wishes to assure all members of the party nationwide that there has not been any change whatsoever in the leadership composition of the party at the national level,” the NWC said in a statement issued by Victor Kwon, PDP national legal adviser.

“For the avoidance of doubt, the statutory organs of the party, the NWC, national caucus, BoT and NEC will be meeting next week to deliberate on some developments, including the replacement, from the northeast of Alhaji Adamu Muazu, who resigned as the national chairman of the party.

“The replacement will be in strict adherence to the provisions of the constitution of our great party as specified in section 47(6). Until then, the status quo remains, which means the deputy national chairman Prince Uche Secondus, remains as the acting national chairman.”

But a communique issued at the end of a meeting of PDP governors asked Secondus to quit in line with the court order, which gave him a 14-day ultimatum.

“In recognizance of the judgment the court gave, we call on the national secretary to take over the leadership of the party immediately and that is in line with the provisions of the PDP constitution,” said Olusegun Mimiko, governor of Ondo state and chairman of the forum, who read the communiqué.

“We take cognizance of the judgment by the court in Abuja which ordered the acting chairman to vacate office for any other person from the north-east zone of Nigeria.

“Our party constitution has enough provisions for that and the necessary process has been put in motion.

“The invasion of the party headquarters today by Ahmed Ali Gulak who reportedly assumed the chairmanship of the Peoples Democratic Party is regrettable and condemnable.

“The appropriate organs of the party will meet soonest to elect a national chairman of the party from the appropriate zone.”