A major crack has occurred in the
camp of President Goodluck Jonathan as two of his main backers in the
south-south region appear to have disagreed on the handling of the festering
crisis in the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
A pro-Jonathan group, Congress for
Equality and Change led by former federal commissioner of information Chief
Edwin Clark, yesterday chided the chairman of the PDP Board of Trustees, Chief
Tony Anenih, for admitting that some of the aggrieved governors had genuine
grievances.
Clark’s attack on Anenih came as
Anenih himself cautioned the national chairman of the party, Alhaji Bamanga
Tukur, against making inflammatory statements that could undermine the ongoing
peace talks in the party.
In a communiqué signed by the
chairman of the group, Senator Ameh Ebute, the group told Anenih to
“distance himself from the demands of the so-called aggrieved governors and
join Alhaji Bamanga Tukur to work for the party in truth and spirit”.
Anenih had on Tuesday admitted that
some of the complaints of the governors who have been up in arms against both
Tukur and Jonathan were genuine.
As the pro-Jonathan camp appears to
be speaking in different tones, the Alhaji Kawu Baraje camp has threatened that
Tukur could end up in jail.
The Clark group faulted some alleged
grievances expressed by the governors: “For instance, the claim by the
governors that President Jonathan should award the governors, their cronies and
family perpetual injunction from EFCC and police prosecution against
corruption, embezzlement of public funds and criminal enrichment is
condemnable; we wonder how the President could stop EFCC from investigating
people alleged to have engaged in corruption.
“Also, the demand that the President
should renounce his 2015 presidential re-election bid in spite of his
eligibility to contest is very condemnable. They insisted that the call for
Tukur’s resignation cannot be a thing that someone should liken to a genuine
grievance.”
Tukur to Atiku, govs, others: Come
back or PDP train will leave you behind
In what appears as a rapprochement
to aggrieved Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) members, the national chairman of
the party, Alhaji Bamanga Tukur, has urged the members of the new PDP to
retrace their steps now or else the PDP train will leave them behind.
In a charge to former vice president
Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, seven PDP governors and National Assembly members who
have floated and aligned with the new PDP, Tukur, who described them as
prodigal sons and daughters, said even if they returned they would face the
consequences of their actions.
Tukur stated this yesterday during
his opening remark at a seminar jointly organised by the offices of national
woman leader and youth leader of the party for all women and youth leaders in
the party drawn from the 36 states of the federation. Some female ministers,
legislators and former women leaders were also present.
He said: “What is going on in the
party is something of concern, but it is also something that can happen in a
family. You can quarrel but all should really be resolved within the house, not
outside. Anyone who has a son or daughter who left, we call them prodigal son
or daughter. If they come back, we can say welcome back prodigal son; we will
get you around and tell you, you are still accepted because, at PDP, you are
always regarded as a son or daughter.
“But, of course, if you are coming
back you will also face the consequences for taking a wrong step. You have to
reconnect and correct your wrong step. If you don’t, the PDP train will move
without you.”
In her own comment, the national PDP
woman leader, Mrs Kema Chikwe, said the party was facing challenging times
because of the “morbid quest for power by unreasonable members of the party”.
She said, “You have to ask yourself
on whose side are you on?”
She further noted that the PDP has
done so much for Nigeria and had provided a ladder for many Nigerians to attain
high positions. “PDP deserves appreciation from Nigerians to be protected with
passion.”
She further charged the women and
youths to stand by the PDP, adding that only the party has consolidated
political structures right from the ward to national level.
Baraje faction threatens to seek
jail term for Tukur
Amidst the war of words, the Alhaji
Abubakar Kawu Baraje-led PDP yesterday said their lawyers would file a contempt
charge against Alhaji Bamanga Tukur for disobeying the orders of a Lagos high
court by commenting on the crisis within the party after a court order which
asked both factions to maintain the status quo pending the resolution of the
case over who the authentic leader of the party is.
The factional party stated this
through a statement by the national secretary of the PDP under Baraje, Prince
Olagunsoye Oyinlola, condemning the call by Tukur in Abuja. Last Wednesday,
Tukur threatened to sack members of the National Assembly for siding with the
Baraje faction. Tukur also threatened the arrest of the new PDP officials.
But the factional party said the
call by Tukur for sack of National Assembly members of the new PDP smacks of
his disdain for law. They further reminded Tukur that members of the National
Assembly were elected by the people of Nigeria and are not his appointees whom
he could dismiss.
The statement said: “We have asked
our lawyers to press contempt charges against Tukur because his statement was
made in clear contempt of the orders of a Lagos high court which, three days
ago, asked both sides to maintain the status quo. We will ask the court to
commit him to jail for his disdain for the law and the judicial system.
“We have always been saying it that
Tukur represents everything that must not be seen in a democratic organisation.
His statement demonstrates not just impunity but also lawlessness and crass
ignorance of the tenets of the law and democratic ethos.
“Tukur displayed his disdain for law
and order with his threat to order the arrest of law-abiding persons in a
democracy. We ask what powers he has under our laws to make that statement and
what gave him the impression that Nigeria has become a police state where
impunity reigns and citizens can be arrested at the whim of any power-drunk
tzar? Fortunately, our country is a democracy under the rule of law and not
under the rule of man. The police and our other security agencies cannot be
used to further such agenda as being nurtured in the dictatorial mind of Tukur.
“Again, we believe only an ignorant
person would threaten to sack elected senators and representatives for staying
on the side of truth, justice and fairness. Tukur needs to be reminded that
members of the National Assembly were elected by the people of Nigeria and are
not his appointees who he could dismiss like the minions in his private
residence.
“He called the Alhaji Baraje-led
leadership of our party impostors and we ask him if he does not know that the
endorsement of our cause by elected representatives of our people across all
tiers of government has vindicated our position that what we represent in the
party today is what the people want. We challenge him to call out those who are
with him in his clear journey to perdition even as we add that Tukur should
come to terms with the reality of the end of his reign of terror, impunity,
dictatorship and lawlessness in our party.”
“On our part, we re-assert our
commitment to the consolidation of democracy, peace, love, unity;
people-centred development and, above all, the rule of law in our march towards
progress and development. More importantly, we assure our teeming
associates and well wishers that we shall conduct our party’s business with
patriotism, resourcefulness, truth, justice and fair play as demanded of a
political organisation with a vision and mission.”
Stop Disrespecting Jonathan by inflammatory
statements, Anenih cautions
As the crisis within the PDP shifted
to the courts, the chairman of the Board of Trustees of the party, Chief Tony
Anenih, yesterday said the barrage of legal cases and provocative statements
emanating from both factions of the party was disrespectful to President
Goodluck Jonathan.
Anenih, in a statement yesterday,
while calling for caution from both factions over heated statements expressed
concern that such statements were uncalled for in the face of reconciliatory efforts
by all stakeholders.
Both factions led by Alhaji Bamanga
Tukur and Alhaji Kawu Baraje have been enmeshed in a series of legal battles
over the soul of the party after the walkout staged by seven governors and
former vice president, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar.
But displeased with the outbursts
and court cases, Anenih said: “Following the walkout staged by some aggrieved
members of our great party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), at the Special
Convention of 31st August, 2013, there have been genuine efforts by the
leadership of the party, including the President himself, to reach out and
reconcile with the aggrieved members, using the numerous mechanisms for
conflict resolution that exist in the party. A series of meetings have been
held and more are scheduled to hold in the next few days.
“It is unfortunate that while the
reconciliatory efforts are being made, some of our members are making
inflammatory statements, intimidating one another and issuing threats of court
actions. Such actions do nothing but harm the efforts at reconciliation.
“Like a good family, we must avoid
open confrontation and allow the leadership of the party to effect genuine
reconciliation. Conflict is not new to the PDP and, as in the past, I am
confident that, in spite of the differences, the current one will be resolved,
with the party coming out even stronger and more united than ever.
“To make pre-emptive statements
while the process of reconciliation is still on is disrespectful not only to
the President but to the party leadership. Such statements undermine the party
and the enormous efforts being made under the transformation agenda of Mr.
President.”
He further asked “all members of our
great party to exercise restraint throughout this trying period”.
We’ll encourage politics of
inclusion – Kwankwaso
Kano State governor Rabiu Musa
Kwankwaso has said that the new PDP will ensure politics of inclusion and
effect reforms and necessary changes that will accommodate the aspiration of
the people in tune with the PDP founding fathers’ vision.
Kwankwaso stated this in Kano
yesterday while addressing stakeholders as part of state consultation following
the announcement of the factional leadership of PDP.
According to the governor, the Kawu
Baraje-led PDP is the authentic faction of the party on the grounds that the
election of Tukur as chairman of PDP was illegal as he was not qualified while
his return to the party contravened the PDP constitution.
According to Kwankwaso, the
Tukur-led PDP has no regard for the constitution and manifestoes of the party
which caused the recent division in the party.
Among other injustices done to Kano
PDP, said the governor in Abuja, was the fact that from 2010 to date, none of
the nominations of the PDP-led administration in Kano was accepted and given
leadership position by the President Goodluck administration.
Kwankwaso said: “Party is about
interest, so also is politics. Therefore we cannot fold our arms and see our
party drifting and if resolution did not come at the end of the day, we will do
something in 2015 election.”
He added that the seven governors,
having realised the weakness in the party, decided to rescue it to make it a
better party, arguing that they had earlier done their best to make PDP
leadership in Abuja know their demands and worries but they were not listened
to.
Kwankwaso stated their resolve in
ensuring equity and justice in PDP and appealed to all governors to support the
authentic PDP faction’s move in bringing PDP back to glory and bringing
development to Nigeria.
He thanked members of the National
Assembly who identified with the faction of PDP leadership.
APC: We welcome PDP aggrieved
governors, others
All Progressives Congress (APC)
throws its door opens to the aggrieved chieftains and seven governors of the
strive-torn ruling People’s Democratic Party (PDP) even as it denies being
behind the crises rocking the party.
The Interim National Publicity
Secretary of the party, Alhaji Lai Mohammed made this known to newsmen in Abuja
at the national secretariat yesterday after the meeting held between the
interim national executive committee of the party and its governors where
Senator Chris Ngige was given the certificate of returns as the party’s
candidate for the November governorship poll.
Mohammed regretted that his party is
being accused by some PDP chieftains of being the masterminds of the crises but
said his party was not surprised with the unfolding scenario in PDP but asks
the aggrieved to decamp to APC.
“It is unfortunate that some people
are accusing APC as the brain behind the PDP crisis, they are saying those
aggrieved governors are using the script of APC. It is not true but we are not
surprised with what is happening in PDP, we saw it coming. Be that as it may,
our doors are open to the aggrieved governors, they should leave the
crisis-ridden PDP and join APC.”
On whether the APC governors and
their PDP counterparts are already making contact or not, the APC spokesman
explained that they were both members of the Nigerian Governors’ Forum hence
making contacts among themselves could not be ruled out.
He disclosed that the essence of the
meeting was for the Interim NEC of the party to brief the governors about the
on-going registration of membership including how to get structures for the
party at the state level.
Presenting the certificate of
returns to Ngige, the National Chairman of the party, Chief Bisi Akande said,
“the Interim National Executive Committee of APC is hereby presenting the
certificate of returns to Senator Chris Ngige as the candidate of APC for the
governorship election in Anambra with the hope that he is the next governor of
that state.”
He later welcome 22 state chairmen
of All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA) and five members of the national
working committee of the party who have just decamped to the party. Akande
charged them all to be involved in the registration drive of membership of APC.
No comments:
Post a Comment