Governors of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) are trying to assert their dominance as the party’s main power brokers.
This followed their first most daring move to whittle down the influence of the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, in PDP affairs.
The Governor Bala Mohammed-led 12-member PDP Governors Forum (PDP-GF) rose from their monthly meeting in Asaba, the Delta State capital on Friday; with a clear message to the party’s Acting National Chairman, Amb. Umar Damagum-led pro-Wike faction of the party’s National Working Committee (NWC).
Mohammed, who read the communique after the meeting, said, “The Forum noted with delight the ongoing efforts at resolving the crisis in the National Working Committee, NWC, on the position of the National Secretary, and has reaffirmed its support for the Court of Appeal judgment; consequently, the Forum advised the NWC to set up the machinery for the effective implementation of the court judgment.”
The Forum also “advised” the NWC to reschedule the much awaited National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting earlier slated for February to March 13th.
According to the governors, the shift is to give the NWC time to put in place the machinery to enable Ude-Okoye append his signature to the necessary documents notifying the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) of the new date.
Message
With this declaration, the governors have sent an unambiguous message that they’ll henceforth deal with Hon. Ude-Okoye as National Secretary. Senator Samuel Anyanwu, a known Wike ally, insists he’s still the National Secretary irrespective of the PDP-GF’s position.
He told Sunday Vanguard, “I’m not perturbed about the communique issued by the governors. The PDP-GF is one of several pressure groups in our party, members are not bigger than the Nigerian Constitution and the pronouncements of our courts. I remain the PDP National Secretary.”
This happened barely 46 hours after Ude-Okoye was hounded out of the party’s Board of Trustees (BoT) meeting by Anyanwu’s loyalists who felt irritated by his presence.
“Recall, party stakeholders from the South-East had nominated Ude-Okoye as replacement for Anyanwu when the latter emerged as the PDP candidate for the 2023 Imo State governorship election.
Anyanwu argued that his position wasn’t vacant. According to him, the party’s Constitution didn’t require his resignation from office before contesting the governorship election.
Court
Following the party’s refusal to recognize him, Ude-Okoye approached a High Court to enforce his rights.
He won.
Anyanwu appealed but lost. He filed a motion for a stay of execution of the Appeal Court judgement while also asking the Supreme Court to upturn Udo-Okoye’s Appeal Court victory.
He reiterated his resolve to remain in office until the Supreme Court decides.
Wike, himself a former governor, fell out with the Bala Mohammed-led PDP-GF over their support for Governor Siminalaye Fubara in the fight for the control of the PDP structure in Rivers State.
The FCT minister rejected a suggestion by the governors for him to leave the party structure for the governor in line with established tradition. Speaking at a reception organized in his honour by the Ijaw People’s Congress in Okirika Local Government Area of Rivers State, in September last year, Wike said, “Let nobody threaten anybody. All those threats are empty. I said nobody would take the structure of the party.
“I said nobody would take over the structure of the party. You can have all the money; if it didn’t dey, it didn’t dey.”
War of words
Since then, a war of words, plots and counter-plots to control the party structure at the state and national levels has been the order of the day.
Wike had threatened to “set fire” in PDP states governors don’t stop meddling in the political affairs of Rivers State. The Rivers State political imbroglio has split the 17 member PDP NWC into two with one faction supporting Wike and the other supporting Fubara.
On Wike’s side are Damagum, Anyanwu and National Organising Secretary, Capt. Umar Bature.
Those on Fubara’s side are the PDP National Legal Adviser, Kamaldeen Ajibade, National Publicity Secretary, Hon. Debo Ologunagba and National Treasurer, Alhaji Yayari Ahmed among others.
Former National Publicity Secretary of the party, Kola Ologbondiyan, hailed the party’s governors for standing up for truth and justice.
He said, “Without doubt, our governors are on track. The matter of the National Secretary has since been decided. Ude-Okoye who was duly nominated by the South East caucus and so recognized by the courts occupies that office.
“What we in the North-Central expect now is for our governors and other stakeholders to take equal steps to redress the injustice done to us.
“As a first step, Damagum to revert to his position as Deputy National Chairman (North), and allow our zone complete what is left of the tenure of Senator Iyiorchia Ayu.
“If this is done, then we can confidently say our party is on the path to redemption”. (Vanguard)
