by Musa Abdullahi
The National Working Committee (NWC) of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has issued a very stern warning to those it describes as ambitious aides and associates of President Goodluck Jonathan, whom it said are trying to use their closeness to the President to cause crisis in the party and pave way for more defections to other parties.
In the same vein, the National Chairman of the party, Alhaji Adamu Muazu warned that the era of use and dump syndrome is over in the party as the National Working Committee (NWC) of the party has tenure of office that would end next year. He further said that the party cannot be seen to be changing its national chairman every year.
According to Mu’azu in statement signed by his Chief Press Secretary, Tony Amadi, “It is also time to end the spate of in-fighting and blame games currently dominating the political discourse among our membership and the leadership. It will do no one any good. The present leadership has until next year to run their course. The party will then decide how to deal with the zoning of the next leadership and strategies for winning the 2019 elections.
“The developing culture of using and dumping has reached fratricidal proportions in the PDP and it must end. You cannot be changing Chairmen and NWC every year and still have cohesion which is a vital ingredient of winning. A good example occurred when we changed five Senate Presidents in eight years and produced calamity in the process, but for eight years we have had one senate president and produced harmony between the presidency and parliament.”
The PDP said it would expose such individuals and make them face the full weight of the party disciplinary measures if they fail to immediately retrace their steps.
The NWC in a statement signed by the party’s National Publicity Secretary, Olisa Metuh said it is “aware of the clandestine activities of such aides and associates of the President including their unholy alliance with some elements in other parties to undermine and weaken the PDP by attacking its leadership.
“The NWC is aware that these same individuals who mismanaged the presidential campaigns are now desperately seeking to cause crisis in the PDP with a view not only to divert attention from their misdeeds but also to ensure that they remained politically relevant by hijacking the party structure for their selfish purposes.
“We are aware that these individuals have been trying to arm-twist the President to summon a meeting of party leaders at the Presidential Villa in the coming days where the NWC members would be put under pressure to resign thereby triggering a crisis in the leadership at the national level.
“The party is aware that the same group has been sponsoring series of amorphous bodies and negative publications in a section of the media to peddle false allegations against the NWC to back their heinous and unconstitutional demands that the President should sack the NWC before the handover date of May 29, 2015.
“However, for the purposes of clarity, especially for those making uninformed demands on the President, the PDP National Working Committee is duly elected and its tenure ends in March 2016 in line with the provisions of the party’s constitution. The PDP is a party built on the rule of law and democratic ethos. Its NWC is elected and not appointed and as such cannot be sacked at will or by an executive fiat. Besides, no section of the party constitution prescribes that the NWC should quit if the party loses in a general election.
“Furthermore, the PDP constitution is clear on the process of summoning a meeting of party leaders and the role of the NWC in that regard is well-defined. Anything outside the laid down rules and the provisions of the constitution in this respect is completely of no effect.
“Moreover, President Goodluck Jonathan has amply demonstrated his strict adherence to the rule of law and the tenets of democracy even on issues of party administration and should not in any way be hassled by these selfish and greedy elements to destroy his legacies.
“Consequently, the leadership of the PDP by this statement makes it very clear and in an unambiguous terms too that it will no longer condone such divisive actions by the same unscrupulous individuals who in their selfishness ruined the fortunes of our great party in the general elections.
“The NWC will no longer tolerate actions that tend to undermine discipline and the supremacy of the party and its constitution, as it will henceforth not hesitate to apply full disciplinary measures for infractions.
“Our advice to these ambitious aides and associates of the President is to leave party matters and concentrate on the Presidential transition and smooth handover of power to the incoming administration as well as preparing for post handover issues that might arise regarding the administration in which they served”, the party stated.
On the issue of the performance of the party in the general elections and allegations of mismanagement of Presidential campaign funds, the NWC said it has no case to answer, as Nigerians already know the truth regarding those who managed the campaigns including the funds.
“Nigerians are not at loss as to the fact that the PDP NWC did not manage the campaign and its fund. Those who managed the campaigns have already submitted their reports to the President who in his wisdom gave them the mandate and they have been applauded for a job well done at that level”, the statement said.
The NWC said it appreciates the support and backing of key stakeholders especially the PDP Governors’ Forum, the body of national vice chairmen and state chairmen as well as governors, legislators-elect and all well meaning members in the all important effort to rebuild the party and reposition it to regain power in 2019.
In another statement by the National Chairman, Adamu Muazu signed by his media aide, Tony Amadi, Muazu said, “The result of the 2015 presidential election is the elixir the Peoples Democratic Party needs to reinvent itself and retake power in 2019 instead of wasting time and energy mudslinging and blame gaming over the party’s failed bid to win a fourth consecutive presidential election victory.
“Stories spreading like wild fire in the social media about schisms in our great party can only energise the incoming administration of the APC, and their wish list that include the burial of the PDP. But we can shock them with our usual resilience and ability to turn the tables particularly as they are already developing a tottering ineptitude in their transition progression to power.
“Our game plan is to provide a virile opposition to the new government which we have already graciously given a lifeline by conceding defeat and avoiding a calamitous battle in the courts. The international community has noted this great act of statesmanship on our part and we shall continue in this mode to show our commitment towards entrenching democracy in our country.
“It is therefore time for our great party to reinvent ourselves, show great maturity and map out a strategy that will return us to power in 2019. Despite losing our dominance in the National Assembly, our party has the largest number of experienced legislators in both chambers and will surely be calling the shots there.
“We will however help to reduce the imminent issue of learning process occasioned by the horde of inexperienced APC members in both houses because of national interest. It is also time to end the spate of in-fighting and blame games currently dominating the political discourse among our membership and the leadership. It will do no one any good. The present leadership has until next year to run their course. The party will then decide how to deal with the zoning of the next leadership and strategies for winning the 2019 elections.
“The developing culture of using and dumping has reached fratricidal proportions in the PDP and it must end. You cannot be changing Chairmen and NWC every year and still have cohesion which is a vital ingredient of winning. A good example occurred when we changed five Senate Presidents in eight years and produced calamity in the process, but for eight years we have had one senate president and produced harmony between the presidency and parliament.”
