Barring unforeseen circumstances, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) will next week Wednesday unveil its national chairman from the North-east geo-political zone.
A substantive national chairman from the North-east is expected to emerge at the meeting which will hold on Wednesday. Prince Uche Secondus who has been acting national chairman since May, last year, after the resignation of Alhaji Adamu Mu’azu is expected to vacate the seat and revert to the deputy chairmanship position as he was duly elected.
This comes as the Appeal Court in Abuja is expected to decide on an injunction filed by former political aide to ex-President Goodluck Jonathan, Ahmed Gulak, seeking to stop the current NWC from holding the NEC meeting.
Gulak’s spokesman, Bernard Mikko, who stated that the case will come up on February 11, also disssociated the former presidential aide from the forthcoming NEC meeting.
Gulak had declared himself national chairman of the party after securing a High court ruling which directed Secondus to vacate the seat last year. A stay of execution on the judgement filed by PDP and Secondus was also set aside by the court.
However, a statement by the National Publicity Secretary of PDP Olisa Metuh, on Friday which gave notice of the NEC meeting, said it was “in furtherance of internal discussions on very crucial issues within the party as well as ways to reposition it for the challenges ahead.”
According to the schedule approved by the National Working Committee, “the meeting of the National Caucus of the party has been slated for Tuesday, February 9, 2016 at 7pm.
“It will be followed by the meeting of the Board of Trustees (BoT) on the morning of Wednesday, February 10. The National Executive Committee (NEC) will meet at 2pm on the same Wednesday, February 10, 2016.”
However, a PDP source confirmed that the Northeast zone could not produce Secondus’ replacement last week as scheduled because of a “communication gap” between the two governors from the North-east zone, Ibrahim Dankwambo of Gombe and Darius Ishaku of Taraba. The inability to reach a consensus had resulted in the postponement of last week’s NEC meeting.
The source however disclosed that “so far, seven members of the party from the North-east have officially indicated interest in the position.”
According to the source they are, deputy national publicity secretary of PDP Abdullahi Jalo (Gombe), former FCT minister Bala Mohammed (Bauchi), former political adviser to ex-President Goodluck Jonathan, Prof Rufai Alkali (Gombe); Saidu Kumo (Yobe), Ahmed Gulak; Paul Wanpana (Adamawa); and Amb. Umar Gamagun.
It was also gathered that a final cut of three names would be forwarded to the leadership of the party for adoption and ratification.
The source also said that it was not clear whether former governor of the defunct Gongola State, Ambassador Wilberforce B. Juta, has indicated interest in the position. He had been endorsed by a section of PDP members in Adamawa State.
Meanwhile, the case seeking to stop the current NWC from holding the NEC meeting is scheduled to come up for hearing next week at the Appeal
Court.
Gulak’s spokesman, Bernard Mikko, Friday confirmed that their injunction, which will restrain Secondus from parading himself as chairman and holding meetings would be heard on February 11 at the Court of Appeal.
He told Leadership weekend that Gulak is not a party to the forthcoming NEC meeting, stressing “it is a gimmick; we are not part of what they are doing. They are acting in illegality.”
He accused the current NWC of foot-dragging the meeting of the Northeast caucus even as he said that “names of persons interested in the position were also submitted since last year. Why are they in a hurry now all of a sudden?” he asked.
Recall that the PDP Governors Forum under the Ondo State Governor Olusegun Mimko, had asked Uche Secondus, to vacate office and allow the national secretary of the party to handle the affairs of the party. They also berated Gulak for storming the PDP secretariat and declaring himself chairman of the party.
However, both Secondus-led NWC and Gulak had rejected the position of the governors. While the NWC insisted that Secondus remains the acting chairman, Gulak faulted the governor’s directive stressing that he was validly made chairman of the party by the court.
Another issue that is likely to be deliberated upon at the NEC meeting include the ongoing amendment of the party’s constitution draft committee which was submitted last week to the National Working Committee (NWC).
The NEC is also expected to deliberate on forthcoming national convention of the party.
-Leadership
