From Ndubuisi Orji, Abuja
Former Rivers State governor and Minister of Federal Capital Territory (FCT), and the chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party ( PDP), Board of Trustees ( BoT) Chairman, Adolphus Wabara, yesterday, clashed over demand for the resignation of the party’s national secretary, Samuel Anyanwu.
Wabara, in a letter dated October 12 and addressed to the PDP acting national chairman, Umar Damagum, had said it was wrong for Anyanwu, the party’s candidate, in the November 11 Imo State governorship election, to still remain the party’s secretary.
According to him, “The usual practice is for him to have resigned earlier. However, in the wisdom of the NWC, he was allowed to continue in office till now. Nonetheless, the BoT, as the conscience of the party, has the constitutional authority to caution any member of the party acting in a way contrary to the guiding principles of our party and this is one of them.
“It is, therefore, against the background of the above that the board wishes to put it on record and state categorically that the NWC should do the right thing by ensuring that the Imo State governorship candidate resigns from office immediately and focus on the election, which is less than 30 days away.”
However, while Wike, in a letter to the BoT chairman, dated October 16, said the party organ lacked the authority to determine, who occupies the office of national secretary, Wabara said the former governor was entitled to his opinion.
The FCT minister, in a letter, urged the party to avoid any issue that would trigger crisis in the PDP, ahead of the November 11 governorship elections in Imo, Kogi and Bayelsa states.
Wike’s letter, copied to Damagum, the PDP Governors Forum and the leadership of the party caucuses in the National Assembly, read in part: “Your Excellency, permit me to observe with respect that the Board of Trustees (BoT) lack the moral authority to intervene on the issue of who occupies or should occupy the Office of the National Secretary of the Party.
“This is more so as the BoT was unable to use its good offices as the conscience of the Party to intervene in the crisis that engulfed the Party in the run-up to the 2023 General Elections when Officers of the Party blatantly violated the Constitution of the Party.
“Secondly, the Ag. Chairman of the BoT is reminded that the issue of who occupies the position of National Secretary of the Party is beyond the BoT’s sphere of authority and Influence. Indeed, if and when a vacancy occurs, the responsibility of deciding who and how the vacancy will be filled is that of the entire Southern States to which the position was zoned and not only the South East geopolitical, as your letter under reference appears to be suggesting.
“Thirdly, I noticed that your letter was copied to H.E. Rt. Honourable Emeka Ihedioha, CON, ostensibly in his capacity as former Governor of Imo State’. This is not correct as you will recall that in 2020, the Supreme Court of Nigeria nullified Hon. Emeka Idedioha’s election as Governor of Imo State. By the Supreme Court’s pronouncement, Hon. Emeka Ihedioha was never elected Governor of Imo State and ought not to have been so copied. To do otherwise will amount to dressing him in borrowed robes, which will not do him and the Party any good.
“Finally, I wish to appeal to Your Excellency and the entire BoT to eschew crisis capable of derailing the party’s preparations for the Governorship election, which is less than 30 days away. This is the only way the Party can present a common front needed to win this crucial election.”
Regardless, Wabara, while reacting to Wike’s letter, in a telephone interview with journalists, in Abuja said “if he has amended the constitution of the party, I will not know. As far as I am concerned I acted in consonance with section 47, sub-section 5 of the PDP constitution.
“Wike is a member of the BoT. I am sure he knows the rules and the constitution of the party. But also, everybody is entitled to his opinion.”
POST AUTHOR: Rapheal
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