Atiku, aggrieved govs, others may be expelled
Following its failure to obtain an injunction last Friday to restrain the Kawu Baraje-led faction of the party from parading itself as the authentic national leadership of the party, the Alhaji Bamanga Tukur-led national working committee, NWC, may this week slam expulsion on former vice president Atiku Abubakar, the aggrieved governors, and those fraternising with them. Read more
Justice Elvis Chukwu of the federal high court in Abuja had on Friday refused to grant the prayer of the Tukur led PDP National Working Committee for an injunction to restrain the Independent National Electoral Commission, [INEC] from giving recognition to the Alhaji Kawu Baraje led factional NWC of the party. Justice Chukwu insisted that the defendants, ( Alhaji Baraje and Oyinlola) be put on notice, and had fixed hearing for next Thursday.
Tukur could not also stop the Court from preventing Baraje’s faction from interfering in the functions of the NWC.
Sunday Sun source revealed that following the deadlock of the meeting held by the Chief Olusegun Obasanjo trouble shooting team with the aggrieved groups separately on Friday at Transcorp Hilton Hotel in Abuja, and its loss of favourable restraining order from the court, Tukur and certain pro- Jonathan governors held a meeting on Friday night after the Transcorp meeting and resolved to expel the ‘dissident’ members from the party.
The Sunday Sun source further disclosed that the expulsion may be announced on Tuesday at the end of an emergency meeting of the PDP NWC.
“The expulsion of the seven governors may be announced on Tuesday or Wednesday.
They got wind of the plan by the Alhaji Baraje faction to open a parallel secretariat this week. The new secretariat, I learnt is located at T, Plot 4, Oyi River Crescent, Maitama.”
If they go ahead with the move which has been on the cards, the party and the presidency will move against them,” Sunday Sun source further disclosed.
But further investigation by Sunday Sun revealed that the parallel secretariat of the party located in Maitama area of Abuja was sealed off by security agencies yesterday.
Reacting to Sunday Sun clarification on the party’s plan to move against the governors, National Publicity secretary of the party, Chief Olisah Metuh did not confirm it but declared that the party was prepared for any eventuality if provoked further by the aggrieved governors and their followers.
“We are for peace. Each of the governors has contributed individually towards the growth of the party. We acknowledge that and that’s why we have been extending the olive branch despite the provocations.
But the interest of the party is paramount.
We shall not sacrifice the party’s supremacy and its constitution.
We are ready for any eventuality. We have tolerated them (the governors) for too long. We have reports of the infractions against the party executives in their states and we have been stomaching all these. These are the same set of people shouting on top of their voices that internal democracy is lacking at the national secretariat,” Metuh noted.
But in a swift reaction to the move, the national secretary of the Baraje led faction, Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola, described the closure of its head office in Abuja as the height of impunity. Oyinlola said in a statement that security forces were mobilized to seal off their office on Saturday, based on a non existent court injunction which they claimed to have secured on Friday. He said: “The whole world knows that Justice Chukwu of the Federal High Court Abuja on Friday refused to grant Alhaji Bamanga Tukur’s application for an exparte injunction against our party executive.The judge asked parties to maintain the status quo. His judgement was a reinforcement of an early order of the Lagos High Court which also asked parties to maintain the status quo.” He called for an immediate withdrawal of the siege on their secretariat in the interest of rule of law and democracy. He described the police action as a contempt of court and an affront on the rights of members of the party, adding that the action will neither break their spirit, nor the goal they set out to achieve. He wondered why Tukur, who only on Friday appeared before the party’s elders ostensibly in search of peace would in less than 12hours turn round to act with impunity.
However, Metuh in Lagos yesterday insisted that the police were merely obeying the court order. According to Metuh, the order said that the parties in the dispute should maintain the status quo ante bellum.”By the order of Justice E. L. Chukwu, no other group should have an office and call it new PDP office. The sealing of the office is in order,” he said. He, however, added that the party was still disposed towards the speedy resolution of the crisis.
At the special national convention of the party held in Abuja, the governors of Kano, Niger, Sokoto, Kwara, Adamawa and Jigawa states and former vice-president, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar had stormed out of Eagles Square, venue of the convention in protest against the disqualification of certain candidates and imposition of a “Unity List” by the chairman Board of Trustees of the party, Chief Tony Anenih.
They were later joined at Sheu Yar’Adua centre by the Rivers State Governor, Rotimi Amaechi who had since been suspended from the party.
Former acting national chairman of the party, Alhaji Kawu Baraje and former national secretary, Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola were announced as chairman and secretary, respectively.
FROM: TAIWO AMODU, ABUJA and RAZAQ BAMIDELE, LAGOS
CULLED FROM THE SUN NEWSPAPER
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