FULL TEXT OF
STATEMENT ISSUED BY THE NEW FACTIONAL CHAIRMAN OF PDP, ABUBAKAR KAWU BARAJE IN
ABUJA TODAY
We address you today as leaders of PDP, who are worried by the increasing
repression, restrictions of freedom of association, arbitrary suspension of
members and other such violations of democratic principles by a faction of our
party led by Alhaji Bamanga Tukur .
While we have done everything humanly possible to bring to the attention of
critical stakeholders within the party the dangers inherent in the course being
charted by that leadership, it has become very clear that the desperate
permutations towards 2015 general elections have blinded certain people from
the consequences of their actions.
Not only has the constitution of the party been serially abused by Alhaji Tukur
and his fellow travelers, all the organs of the party have been rendered
virtually ineffectual by a few people who act as though above the law.
Unfortunately, it is obvious that that they get encouragement from the
presidency whose old calculations are geared towards shutting out any real or
imagined opposition ahead of the party’s presidential primaries for the 2015
elections.
As leaders of our great party, we consider it a sacred responsibility to save
the PDP from the antics of a few desperadoes who have no democratic temperament
and are therefore bent on hijacking the party for selfish ends. While the list
of their violations of the tenets of our great party is long, we will highlight
just a few:
The National Executive Committee of the PDP at its belated meeting of 20June
2013 approved 20 July2013 for the conduct of a special national convention.
However, that date was changed to August 31 without reverting to NEC ( the only
authority vested with such powers) by a few people, apparently acting on the
authority of the presidency.
Notwithstanding the fact that INEC had noted that the PDP congresses in nine
states were not properly conducted, the illegal delegates from such states are
being paraded at the so-called convention being held today in a cynical attempt
to circumvent the law and further bring the name of the party to disrepute.
In gross violation of the PDP constitution which stipulates that the NEC
meeting must hold at least once in a quarter, Alhaji Bamanga Tukur and a few
people have been running the party like a personal fiefdom without recourse to
that important decision-making organ of the party.
The NEC of the party accepted the resignation of the former members of the NWC
whose offices were affected by INEC observations based principally on the
agreement that the affected officers would be returned to their respective
offices at the convention. However, against the decision of the NEC. And in a
not-so-clever bid to exclude some perceived opponents of the few powerful
members who are trying to hijack the party, these positions have been made Open
to some Yes-men within the party.
Notwithstanding INEC instance that Senator Any Uba is the duly elected
candidate of the party in Anambra State and against the background that he is
so recognized by majority of our party members, the Bamanga Tukur-led
Executives announced a purported suspension of Senator Uba and some other
members close to him in defiance of subsisting court orders.
Despite that the PDP Constitution is very clear that the state chapter of the
party cannot discipline a national officer, the Deputy National Chairman, Mr.
Sam Jaja, has reportedly been dismissed by some renegades who have hijacked the
Rivers State chapter of our party with the connivance of the Bamanga Tukur
leadership.
The persistent change in the list of the party’s delegates in many states as
part of a deliberate attempt to rig the party’s nomination of candidates,
especially at the presidential and gubernatorial levels, with a view to
foisting on the PDP some unpopular candidates who are bound to lose at the
polls.
The suspension without due process of the Governors of Rivers and Sokoto
states. Even when the illegal suspension on Sokoto State Governor has been
lifted, the Rivers Governor remains purportedly suspended for no just cause.
The illegal dissolution of the Adamawa State chapter of the party is a clear
abuse of power by Alhaji Bamanga Tukur thus causing confusion in his home
state.
Given the foregoing, it is very clear that the Bamanga Tukur leadership cannot
guarantee for our millions of party members democracy anchored on free choice
and the rule of law. We have therefore taken it upon ourselves to rescue the
party from their int and dictatorial leadership.
It is indeed noteworthy that from 1999 to date, Nigerians have constantly voted
the presidential candidates presented by our great party but not only dies such
trust come wig enormous responsibility, we recognize that we cannot continue to
take the people f granted.
From now, the new leadership of the party under us will strive to build a
fairer as well as a more transparent and accountable PDP that will putty
interest of members and indeed all the people of Nigeria above that of one
single individual.
For all the members of our great party who may have become disillusioned by the
anti-democratic tendencies of the Bamanga Tukur’s leadership, there is a new
lease of life in the horizon. It’s a new day for the Peoples Democratic Party.
As we take over the leadership of the PDP, our immediate priority is to revive
the culture of robust debate of all contending issues while providing a
level-playing field for all our members. These were the ideals that
differentiated our party from others and endeared us to Nigerians.
We are not, and have never been a political party where one man would be taking
decisions for all members and where once you do not kowtow before the
presidency, you are deemed a rebel that must be crushed. That is no the PDP
bequeathed to us by our founding fathers. That, I dare say, is no longer what
PDP under our leadership will represent from today.
Tags
Politics
Haba! Wahala dey for PDP OO. Anyway, they have tried, let another party try.
ReplyDeleteDiss is serious,and the game has just begun
ReplyDeleteAtiku again?I kno Atiku wil com bak 2 pdp afta 2015
ReplyDeleteIt is a welcome developement, PDP should keep to their rules and regulations.
ReplyDeleteHahahaha the party is tiring apart. Am happy!!
ReplyDeleteThat is the end of PDP!
ReplyDeleteI pray their center will never hold again!
ReplyDeletei pity kwara state governor, his 2nd term is shaking
ReplyDeletePdp may your soul rest in perfect pieces
ReplyDeleteI advise kwara state governor should join newly formed APC.
ReplyDeletePDP need to be 're-born
ReplyDelete