A fresh crisis is erupting in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) as zonal Vice Chairmen of the party on Thursday distanced themselves from the communique by Dr. Cairo Ojuogboh, Vice Chairman (South-South) on behalf of Body of PDP Vice Chairmen about the ongoing corruption prosecutions by President Muhammadu Buhari.
Four out of six national vice chairmen alleged that Ojougboh’s communique was concocted as they were not part of the meeting that elicited them.
Ojougboh, in the communiqué on Wednesday as the Secretary of the body, said the party would sanction any of its members convicted of corruption in the ongoing anti-corruption trials by the Buhari administration.
“As a result, the body wishes to affirm as follows: That PDP as a party dissociates itself from any of its members so indicted.
“Any member so convicted shall also face intra-party disciplinary action and will be severely sanctioned accordingly.”
However, the Zonal Vice Chairman (North West), Senator Ibrahim Kazaure who spoke on behalf of three others, said there was never such a meeting.
He stressed that if he was aware of such meeting and he attended the outcome would be different.
Kazaure said, ”There was no such meeting. I am not part of that meeting. I will support my PDP for whatever they do. All PDP members should rally round all those PDP members that are accused (of corruption).”
According to Senator Kazaure, the body would demand a retraction from Dr. Ojougboh because “nobody, no matter how highly placed, can speak on my behalf because I am alive.
”But there was no such meeting (and) there was no such discussion even on the phone. I am in Abuja, I did not go anywhere and nobody should go to the press and speak on my behalf. I am too old for anybody in this country to speak on my behalf.
His counterpart from North Central, Alhaji Yusuf Ayitogo also disclosed he has been unable to participate in party activities for almost six months due to ill-health, stressing that he would not have participated in last Tuesday’s meeting.
Similarly, the national Vice chairmen in South West and South East, Dr. Stephen Oruh and Col. Austin Akobundu respectively disclosed that they were not invited for any meeting during the holidays.
“I have been on holidays since 24th, I was not part of any meeting in Abuja. In fact, I was not aware of any meeting. You are just informing me.
“We have a forum where we discuss the affairs of the meeting; but I did no attend the meeting you are talking about,” Dr. Oruh said.
-Leadership