From TAIWO AMODU, Abuja
Even as the Presidency may have made up its mind to relieve members of the Peoples Democratic Party's (PDP) National Working Committee (NWC) of their positions, its choice of replacement for the position of National Chairman is already creating disaffection in the camp of pro-Jonathan governors.
A peace committee put in place by the Presidency with the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Senator Anyim Pius Anyim as Chairman, had on Monday advised the Bamanga Tukur-led NWC to turn in their resignation letters. Daily Sun investigation revealed that the Presidency's anointed candidate and former Bauchi State governor, Adamu Mu'azu, has unnerved his home state governor, Mallam Isa Yuguda, who is one of the allies of the faction of the Nigeria Governors Forum (NGF) under the leadership of the Plateau State Governor Jonah Jang. Yuguda had since pulled out of the Northern States Governors' Forum (NSGF) over what he claimed to be their betrayal of Jang during the controversial May 23, 2013 NGF's election.
Daily Sun learnt that there had been a sustained cold war between Yuguda and his immediate predecessor, Mua'zu, which predated the former's emergence as the Bauchi State governor in his first term.
A party source told Daily Sun that some of the pro- Jonathan governors were at a loss, whether to convey Mallam Yuguda's disaffection to the Presidency.
Further checks also revealed that the Presidency while mooting the idea of a mini-convention to produce substantive officers, was also in a dilemma as to whether to put in place a care-taker leadership. The source further noted that a mini-convention which the Presidency considered as the most reasonable thing to do to clean the Augean stable would take some time, considering the challenge of Anambra State governorship election in 2014. "They are in a dilemma, because they know that INEC would not accept the list of candidates from a caretaker executive of the party that does not emerge through a properly-conducted national convention," the source noted.
Another option being considered by the Presidency was an arrangement that would allow the embattled Tukur to remain in office, to lead the caretaker team, while the other 12 national officers affected in the INEC report that faulted March 24, 2012 national convention be asked to vacate their seats. A recommendation of the 12-member INEC monitoring team led by Colonel M.K Hammanga [rtd] had voided the election of 12 members of the NWC. The affected officers, according to the INEC report, "whose positions were filled by affirmation process through motions moved and seconded by delegates'' include, Dr Sam Sam Jaja, Alhaji Abubakar Mustapha, Alhaji Garba Chiza, Barrister Olisa Metuh, and Mrs Kema Chikwe, Deputy National Chairman, National Organizing Secretary, National Youth Leader, National Publicity Secretary and National Woman Leader, respectively. Seven others were also affected in the INEC damning report.
The INEC report, however, approved the elections of the National Chairman, Alhaji Bamanga Tukur, the Financial Secretary, Bolaji Anani; the axed National Secretary, Olagunsoye Oyinlola, and the sacked National Auditor, Chief Bode Mustapha. The INEC report had since been subject of litigation, as three members of the party: Abba Yale, Alhaji Yahaya Aruwa Sule and Basir Maidugu, had filed a suit on March 27, 2013 before an Abuja High Court, asking it to compel the party to conduct a fresh convention to elect its national officials.
But Tukur whose emergence was not a subject of litigation and was not faulted in the INEC report, had been lobbying some governors to ensure that he be retained, but the other members of the NWC indicted in the report, have vowed that all of them be eased out of Wadata Plaza, the party's national secretariat by the NEC meeting expected to hold tomorrow.
As at press time, the national caucus was holding a crucial meeting ahead of the meeting of the Board of Trustees (BoT) expected to hold tonight at the Presidential Villa, Abuja. Former Works Minister and Chairman of the BoT, "Chief Tony Anenih would preside over the meeting that will have President Goodluck Jonathan, his deputy, Namadi Sambo, Senate President David Mark, certain principal officers of the National Assembly, former national chairmen and secretaries, among others, in attendance.
Via: Sun News Online