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Damagun, NWC sabotaging us – Abia PDP *Says, party risks missing council polls
Unless Wadata Plaza, headquarters of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), in Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), acts fast to reverse its current nonchalant attitude towards the party’s structure in Abia State, its chances of participating in the forthcoming Local Government Area (LGA), election scheduled for November, are now heavily threatened, among other dire consequences.
This was the alarm raised on Monday by the Rebranded Abia PDP Forum (RAPF), a PDP group in Abia State, as it accused the National Working Committee of the Party (NWC), of deliberately neglecting and sabotaging the party in the state, an attitude, which it alleged was part of a grand plot being hatched to undermine its fortunes.
Directly accusing the NWC of acting in cahoots with an opposition party in the state and a member of the party’s Board of Trustees to destroy the party, the group, which was at the party’s National Secretariat to submit their protest letter to Iliya Umaru Damagun, the PDP Acting National Chairman, and other members of the NWC, the group expressed shock that more than two months after some members obtained a court injunction against the former State Working Committee (SWC) and the conduct of the state congress, no efforts whatsoever had been made to constitute a caretaker committee to supervise the affairs of the party in the state, pending the exhaustion of the court processes.
John Okiyi Kalu, former Commissioner for Information, Trade & Investment in the state, while railing against the alleged sponsorship of some elements to obtain the court injunction, expressed dismay that the party leadership in Abuja has not been supporting the state chapter and appears to be playing a script aimed at polarising and paralysing its affairs.
He said: “For more than 10 months after Hon Aaron Uzodike of PDP was declared winner of the Aba North State Constituency election, the Alex Otti-led government and the Labour Party in Abia State did everything to frustrate his inauguration. We were therefore locked in a serious battle with Governor Alex Otti and members of Labour Party to ensure that Hon Aaron Uzodike was inaugurated as ordered by the courts. Despite this long battle, we did not receive any support from the NWC of our party even after repeatedly briefing them on the matter.
“Not even a single press statement came from the NWC to condemn the governor’s despotic action and join us to pressure him to do the right thing. And as if that was not enough, it is now more than two months since some fifth columnists were sponsored to obtain a court injunction against the party’s congress in Abia. Unfortunately, the NWC has not deemed it fit to constitute a caretaker committee since then thereby leaving the party to float without leadership.
“We wish to bring it to your notice that LGA elections in Abia State have been scheduled for November with party primaries expected to commence Tuesday, September 24, yet PDP members in the state are unable to obtain nomination forms and contest due to the absence of a constituted leadership. We find thus both strange and worrisome.
“Whereas PDP remains the strongest political party in Abia State with 12 elected members in the state House of Assembly, and National Assembly members, yet, it has no SWC. At the moment, there is even no known effort by the NWC to vacate the obnoxious court injunction, and also punish the infiltrators who took the party to court for not first utilising the internal conflict resolution mechanisms of the party, in line with our constitution. Instead, all we hear from the rumor mill is that there are members of the NWC and BOT involved in the destabilisation agenda.”
While delivering the letter, which was endorsed by party chieftains from the three senatorial districts of the state, including Christopher Enweremadu (Abia Central) and Kingsley Nna (Abia South), Okiyi as a PDP chieftain from Abia North called for unity of purpose within the party to ensure that it wins all future elections in the state.
He added: “Our party can easily win all elections in the state because we remain the only party with structures across the state and members who know how to win elections based on experience over the years. Let the NWC do its job and allow us to do the rest otherwise they should all bear responsibility for the looming total disintegration of the party in the state.
“We won’t hesitate to put all their names in our hall of shame, if they don’t act expeditiously. We call on the national leadership of the party to immediately constitute a caretaker committee to conclude the congress of the party and carry out the functions of the state working committee pending the inauguration of a new state working committee.”
For those believing that President Bola Tinubu’s exclusion of Humphrey Nwosu, the late Chairman of the defunct National Electoral Commission (NEC), was an error that would be corrected subsequently, their expectation came to naught on Friday, with his non-recognition once again.
In a surprise outing, the President failed once again to name the late Professor of Political Science as one of the Nigerians honoured, on the day Nigerians would be celebrating this year’s anniversary of June 12, designed to mark the historic 1993 presidential election, which has now been designated as Nigeria’s Democracy Day.
It was a day Moshood Kashimawo Olawale Abiola (MKO), the candidate of the defunct Social Democratic Party (SDP), was elected President in a transition programme undertaken by the military government of then President Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida (IBB).
Expectations are that because the Option A4 model used in achieving the outcome of the election, acknowledged as the freest and fairest election in Nigerian history, the late electoral commission’s boss, would feature prominently in the list of those to be honoured by the government.
But another list contained in the national broadcast by the President, suggested that the position of the treatment meted to the former NEC Chairman, reflected the thinking in the All Progressives Congress (APC), as the late President Muhammadu Buhari, Tinubu’s predecessor, under whom June 12 was given national recognition.
The list, populated mainly by names from the South West, which included both civilians and military personnel, did not capture the category of national honours to be bestowed on the recipients, as the government said further information would be released in due course.
Prominent among those recognized, was Shehu Musa Yar’Adua, a General and former Chief of Army Staff, Supreme Headquarters between 1976 and 1979, under the military regime of Olusegun Obasanjo, who died in Abakaliki Prison in 1997, where he was detained for allegedly participation in carrying out a coup against Sani Abacha, then Head of State.
Tinubu, said the completed Institute of Petroleum Studies, Kaduna, would now be known as General Shehu Musa Yar’Adua University of Geological Sciences and Engineering Technology, to honour the General, who later became a prominent figure in Nigerian politics, “for his vision of national partnership.”
Listing the other names, Tinubu said: “I am also pleased to announce national awards to the following Nigerians, who suffered persecution, endured indignities, exile, incarceration, and, at times, solitary confinement, so that we have democracy today.”
The recipients included: Ayoka Lawani, Tunde Fagbenle, Oladele Alake, Olatunji Bello, Louis Odion, Segun Babatope, Sam Omatseye, Ademola Osinubi, Bola Bolawole and the duo of Lade Bonuola, former Managing Director of The Guardian and Femi Kusa, former Editor of the Nigerian foremost newspaper.
Others, were: Debo Adeniran, Ayo Opadokun, Chief Ralph Obiora, Ose Osayande, Osa Director, Sylvester Odion-Akhaine, Arthur Nwankwo (Posthumous) and Osagie Obayuwana, all pro-democracy activists.
The list also included Joe Okei-Odumakin , Titus Mann, Joe Igbokwe, Richard Akinnola, Ben Charles-Obi (Posthumous), George Mbah Niran Malaolu, Ishola Williams, a retired Major-General, Femi Aborisade, Jenkins Alumona, Gbemiga Ogunleye, Muyiwa Adekeye, Babajide Kolade-Otitoju and Ike Okonta.
“We also recognise the soldier-democrats of the June 12 struggle: Major General MA Garba, Brigadier General Lawal Jaafaru Isa, Col Umar Farouk Ahmed; Col Sambo Dasuki;
Col Lawan Gwadabe; Brigadier Jonathan Ndam Temlong, Col Musa Shehu; Major General Chris Eze; Major General Harris Dzarma; Col Isa Jibrin; Maj. General Joseph Oshanupin; Col Olusegun Oloruntoba, Olugbede of Gbede Kingdom), Lieutenant Colonel Happy Kefas Bulus, Col J Okai;
Col Emmanuel Ndubueze; Lt Col Yakubu Muazu and Brigadier Yahaya Abubakar, the Current Etsu Nupe, who is already the holder of the CFR title.”
From Godswill Obot Akpabio, Senate President, came a definitive message to Nigerians on Friday – the future is bright, the road is clear and destination is assured under a strong, visionary and purposeful democratic leadership of President Bola Tinubu.
But he also raised a proviso – since democracy is participatory all citizens of the country, must get involved in providing the planks, which when nailed together, would enable the leaders fortify the platform for its growth, to enhance a robust, viable future.
These formed the fulcrum of his admonishment, as he joined other national leaders to celebrate Nigeria’s 27th anniversary of uninterrupted democracy, in which it not only broke the vice grip of military rule, but witnessed seven election circles to choose leaders at both national and other levels of government.
Akpabio, Chairman of the National Assembly, Nigeria’s lawmaking institution, was particular about the participation of the Nigerian youths in making his admonition come true, reminding them that they actually owned the future being fashioned today.
Conveying his message through Eseme Eyiboh, his spokesman the former Governor of Akwa Ibom State and former Minister of Niger Delta, also called on Nigerians to embrace unity, vigilance, and active participation in nation-building, commending them for showcasing resilience and support for democracy despite some low moments.
Noting that democratic experiment remained a testimony of endurance despite years of agitations, he said: “On behalf of the 10th National Assembly, I congratulate every Nigerian for the sustenance of democracy for close to three decades. Mistakes have been made in the course of this journey but we will surely get to the desired destination with your support.”
“Democracy should extend beyond the conduct of elections and be anchored on accountability, justice, compassion and service to the common good.”
Particularly for the Nigerian youths, he was emphatic about their active participation in the nation’s political process stressing that the younger generation forms the fulcrum of leadership succession.
Hear him: “As we commemorate June 12, I wish to encourage the youth not to sit on the fence but be active participants in the nation’s political activities. The youths constitute the fulcrum of those who will succeed us tomorrow.
“Let us therefore rededicate ourselves to the ideals of freedom, transparency and accountable government, social justice, and active citizen participation, especially the youths.”
The Senate President, also spoke the current parlous state of carnage in the country, appealing to Nigerians to unite with one another and cooperate with the government to tame “the monster that has befallen the nation.”
Assuring that Tinubu’s administration remained committed to ending the menace and securing the release of all persons in captivity, he said: “I urge every Nigerian to support the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in her efforts in fighting terrorism. We understand the pains you are going through but the government is not resting on its oars and hopefully we shall overcome this current challenge and all will be well with Nigeria.”
Seriake Dickson, National Leader of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), on Wednesday showcased Peter Obi, its presidential candidate in the 2027 election, but gave a proviso – his importance would not be at the expense of the party.
A guest on Prime Time, a public affairs programme on ARISE NEWS Television, the former Governor of Bayelsa State, now Senator representing West at the National Assembly, maintained that the belief in some quarters that Obi’s entrance into the party was a favour was completely misplaced.
Instead, he argued that the opposite was the case, as it was the party that was doing its candidates a favour by giving them the opportunity to contest elective positions on its platform in the 2027 elections, a gesture that ought to be returned.
Hear him: “Don’t make it look like anyone is doing NDC a favour. No one is. Rather, the NDC and I and my colleagues are doing people a favour by granting our platform. If you are genuinely supporting Peter Obi and you are disparaging me, the leader, or the platform itself. That is nonsensical.”
Stressing that NDC had demonstrated confidence in Obi by adopting Obi as its sole presidential candidate and selecting a vice-presidential candidate without internal disputes, he said it was enough to earn its leadership the gratitude it deserved.
He added: “Nobody paid shishi. So, if a presidential candidate didn’t pay shishi to be made the sole presidential candidate and sole vice-presidential candidate, that same party cannot be the one saying that small people are underprivileged.
“I could have run. There’s no one more qualified than me. There’s no one more qualified than me to run for presidential candidate. None. There is no crisis within the NDC. Peter Obi is a cherished member of our party. On our own, we have made him a presidential candidate. Sole presidential candidate. And that counts for something. We are working well together. There’s no crisis.”
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