2019 & Alliance With Tinubu, Atiku, Others: PDP BoT Chairman Breaks Silence, Reveals The Real Game Plan

Contrary to media reports and speculations, there has been no alliance or party formation talk between the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and All Progressives Congress (APC) stalwart Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, PDP Board of Trustees (BoT) Chairman Walid Jibrin, said yesterday, News Punch understands

Jibrin said reports suggesting alliance talks by the Ahmed Makarfi-camp of the PDP with Tinubu and some prominent chieftains of the APC emanated from the imagination of mischief makers, The Nation Newspaper reports

The disputed report also mentioned former Vice President Atiku Abubakar; Senator Rabiu Kwankwaso and Senator Aliyu Wamakko as part of the alleged talks.

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But the PDP BoT chair said the party had never contemplated teaming up with Tinubu and other APC chieftains with the purpose of forming another political party.

Jibrin said: “I salute Tinubu’s courage for coming out to speak frankly about his position regarding this unfounded rumour and for setting the record straight.

“In Tinubu’s own reaction denouncing the report, he condemned the PDP and I can’t understand why anybody would think that we are going to form a new party with somebody who has been condemning us.

“The PDP is a golden name, a party formed by respectable and dignified Nigerians dead and alive, like Alex Ekwueme, Jerry Gana, Solomon Lar, Adamu Ciroma, Aminu Wali, Sule Lamido and many others.

“It is therefore ridiculous to think that anyone would abandon a well-organised party like the PDP and join another party. There is nothing wrong with the PDP, except for some characters within the party.”

According to the party chief, impunity and indiscipline among some members triggered the leadership crisis in the party. PDP would overcome the challenges sooner than expected, he said.

The BoT chair stated that issues arising from anarchy, self-centredness, self-aggrandisement and indiscipline that have plagued the PDP were already being resolved.

“We are ready to make corrections by doing away with impunity, indiscipline and pride among some people in our midst,” Jibrin added.

He praised the efforts by the Senator Ike Ekweremadu committee and another committee led by Prof. Jerry Gana in finding a lasting solution to the various conflicts within the PDP.

Senator Jibrin expressed optimism that many of those who left the PDP before the 2015 general elections would rejoin the party before the 2019 general elections.

“We are ready to look into their cases whenever they decide to come back. We can never abandon the PDP for some people who have just joined us simply because they have the capacity to cause trouble,” Jibrin said.

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PDP Sacks New Chairman, Makarfi Too As Crisis Goes Offhand

The crisis rocking the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) assumed a new dimension Wednesday, with the party’s Board of Trustees (BOT) saying it had taken over the leadership of the party pending the resolution of the leadership tussle in the fold.

The Chairman of the Board, Walid Jibrin, told members of staff of the party at its National Secretariat, Abuja, that both the party’s National Working Committee led by former Governor Ali Modu Sheriff and the Interim National Caretaker Committee led by former Governor Ahmed Makarfi had been sacked.

Mr. Jibrin said consequently, the BOT had taken over the running of the party.

He said that the action of the BOT became imperative in order not to allow vacuum in the party’s operations as well as to resolve the leadership crisis within the party.

“Today, the BOT remains the only legal body now in the whole set up and that is why we are here to play our role,” Mr. Jibrin said.

“We are not here to take over the secretariat. We are here to perform our duties as enshrined in the constitution, hoping that our problems will be resolved soon.

“We, the BOT have taken it upon ourselves to ensure we play a great role in resolving the problems.

“We have gone very far in resolving them. We have made some contacts and consultations.

“We are not here to cast blame on anybody. If it means to go to anybody to solve the problem, we will do so.’’

He said the BOT had been receiving great cooperation from elders and leaders of PDP for it to do its job.

Mr. Jibrin, who said that the board would play its role without fair or favour, assured that the BOT would do its best to return normalcy to the party.

“The PDP has come to stay. PDP will never die,” he said. PDP will continue to rule.

“We are only on sabbatical leave and once the sabbatical is over, we are going to take over our leadership because it is our own. We are going back in 2019. But we can only do that if we cooperate and unite.’’

Mr. Jibrin, however, commended the Nigeria Police for securing the party’s secretariat by barricading access into it.

“At this critical moment, what we need is to secure our property, to safeguard your lives, and to allow members of staff of the party to work under a very good atmosphere.

“We, the BOT are entrusted under the constitution of our party to be in charge of the assets and liability of PDP.’’

Mr. expressed optimism that the party would meet the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) deadline on submission of the party candidate’s nomination form on the forthcoming Edo state governorship election.

“We are putting our heads together with our lawyers,” the BOT chairman said.

“We are rest assured that everything would be in order very soon, with the reconciliation that is going on which will not last long.’’

On his part, the BOT Secretary, Ojo Maduekwe, said the BOT intervened because of litigations surrounding the national caretaker committee set up in Port Harcourt on May 21, at its national convention.

“Concerning the national caretaker committee, the matter is being resolved.

“It will either be resolved by negotiation or by vacating the court orders. We will prefer the matter is resolved internally,’’ Mr. Maduekwe said.

He said that the biggest impunity was for any party member to go to court on any issue without engaging internal mechanism in addressing it.

Members of staff of PDP who were blocked for over a week were allowed access to their offices on Tuesday by the police who had barricaded the secretariat since May 22.

(NAN)

Prof. Gana Thwarts Sheriff's Deal, Sets For Parallel PDP Abuja Convention

The Nation - The crisis rocking the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has taken a new twist with the party set to hold two separate national conventions on Saturday.

While the faction loyal to the National Chairman, Alhaji Ali Modu Sheriff, will be holding its convention in Port Harcourt, another faction, headed by a former Information Minister, Prof. Jerry Gana, will be holding its own in Abuja.

The two factions met simultaneously in Abuja on Tuesday to fine-tune plans for their separate conventions.

The pro- Sheriff convention is backed by the party’s serving governors, its National Assembly caucus and a faction of the Board of Trustees (BoT) led by the chairman, Senator Walid Jibrin.

The Gana group, under the aegis of Concerned PDP Stakeholders, inaugurated its 56-members steering committee to conduct its convention and pilot the affairs of the party afterwards.

Members of the group include Prof. Tunde Adeniran, Hajia Inna Ciroma, Amb. Wilberforce Juta, Alhaji Ibrahim Bunu, Alhaji Adamu Maina Waziri, Senator Bala Mohammed, Mr. Taminu Turaki, Dr. Doyin Okupe and Mrs. Remi Adiukwu.

Also in the group are – Mrs. Josephine Anenih, Chief Ojo Maduekwe, Prof. ABC Nwosu, Sen. Ben Obi, Mr. John Odey, Prof. Sam Oyovbaire, Sen. Florence Ita-Giwa, Alh. Shittu Mohammed Kabiru, Senator Grace Bent, and Senator Anietie Okon.

A group of former PDP governors who are also named as members are – Chief Lucky Igbinedion, Mr. Bonnie Haruna, Alhaji Ibrahim Shema, Mr. Donald Duke, Alhaji Attahiru Bafarawa, Alhaji Mahmood Shinkafi, Alhaji Abdulkadir Kure, Sen, Ahmed Makarfi, Chief Achike Udenwa, Dr. Babangida Aliyu, Otunba Gbenga Daniel and a former PDP national Chairman, Dr. Okwesilieze Nwodo.

At a meeting of the party’s National Executive Committee (NEC), Walid said he met with the Gana group up to 2:30am on Tuesdays where he pleaded with the aggrieved members to drop plans for a parallel convention.

“I pleaded with them to refrain from actions capable of destroying the unity and progress of the party. I made it clear to them that I will not be attending meetings other than the ones called by the organs of the party.

“As a matter of fact, I made it clear to them that I will be leading the BoT members to the Port Harcourt convention,” the BoT chairman said.

Also speaking at the NEC meeting, Sheriff said the party had resolved to cancel results of the just concluded congresses in some states and that fresh congresses would be conducted in the affected states.