By Jeph Ajobaju, Chief Copy Editor
People’s National Party (PDP) National Legal Adviser, Emmanuel Enoidem, has denied knowledge of any meeting summoned by the national chairman and reiterated that only the national convention of the party can remove officials.
Enoidem issued a statement on the crisis in the party which gives the following legal clarifications contained in the PDP constitution:
1. By Section 29 (3) of the constitution of the PDP it is the national chairman or a summon backed by two-third members of the National Working Committee (NWC) that can validly convene a meeting of the NWC.
Subsection (4) provides for two-third members of the NWC to form a quorum for a meeting of the NWC.
2. “As a bona fide member of the NWC, to the best of my knowledge, I am not aware of any meeting of the NWC summoned by the national chairman or in the manner provided aforesaid.
3. “It is therefore of grave concern, and indeed, very sad, to read the above position purportedly taken by some distinguished members of the NWC in utter disdain and violation of clear extant provisions of our constitution.”
4.The issue of resignation of any officer of our party at any level is a personal decision as stipulated in Sections 45(1) & 47 (5).
“There is no provision of our constitution which donates powers to any organ, individuals or group of persons, to ask an officer of the party to resign for any reason whatsoever as was purported in the so-called press release.”
5.The powers to remove any member of the NWC and indeed any national officer is reserved in the national convention which is due for December 2021.
6. The said press release is “an unfortunate assault and blatant violation” of the provisions of the PDP constitution “and so it is illegal and unconstitutional.”
7. This is more so when “the purported meeting was said to have been convened on Sunday, August 8, 2021, against the widely published position taken by the Board of Trustees (BOT) “advising members and leaders of our party to maintain peace until a committee set up has deliberated on the raging controversies.
“This bad press caused the party at this critical time is most uncalled for, needless and wanton and must be discontinued if we are mindful of the interest of the party.”