By Emmanuel Aziken, Political Editor & Henry Umoru
IT would be surprising to many the fact that some members of the Board of Trustees of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP have in the past slammed one another as men and women without conscience. Yet the BOT is regarded by the party's constitution as the conscience of the party.
The 99 man body is constitutionally empowered to act as a moral compass for the party with specific responsibilities of arbitrating conflicts between the different organs of the party and providing an ethical check.
The moral guidance of the BOT is, however, not binding as the constitution of the party does not give the body any specific platform for exerting its influence on other organs of the party.
So, it is not surprising that the BOT is seen as a congregation of party elders with merely advisory role.
The party's constitution in section 12.76(1) gives the guidelines for membership of the BOT with moral uprightness as a cornerstone for membership.
(http://vml1.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/obj1.jpg?9d7bd4) (http://www.vanguardngr.com/2011/03/i-worked-for-both-president-shagari-and-president-yaradua-to-succeed-me-obasanjo/obj1-2/)Former BoT Chairman of PDP, Obasanjo The composition of the BOT has at several times, however, been subject to controversy. At one point the inclusion of the Anambra political godfather, Chief Chris Uba stirred controversy upon insinuations that he did not meet the 50 years age limit for members of the party elders in the BOT.
Under President Olusegun Obasanjo's administration, the BOT chaired first by Dr. Alex Ekwueme and subsequently in an acting capacity by Chief Tony Anenih was seemingly stripped of its moral authority as the body was seemingly relegated in influence and initiatives.
As Obasanjo prepared to leave office he made efforts to raise the role of the BOT with amendments to the constitution that sought to subordinate the policy articulation of the Federal Government to the BOT.
Also, the constitution of the party was amended just before Obasanjo left office with a provision that restricted the chairmanship of the BOT to former Presidents and chairmen.
It was an amendment that inevitably put Obasanjo as the only qualified person to be chairman for the foreseeable time.
Even though Obasanjo successfully installed himself as chairman of the BOT in controversial circumstances, the amendment that zoned the office to his person was amended at a special convention of the party in 2009.
Remarkably, by the amendment the chairman of the BOT is to hold office for only one term as the amendment gave latitude to the members of the BOT to elect a chairman and secretary from among its members.
With Obasanjo's tenure as chairman ending in about four months time, there is suspicion among some that the former President's resignation was apparently aimed to save himself from the humiliation of forcibly stepping down from office after his term in office against his earlier desire of perpetuating himself in office.
Given the former President's strong personae it is believed that the character and content of the moral influence of the BOT could be revamped with his exit.
BoT MEMBERS
The 18 elected members, comprising three (3) members from each of the six(6) geo-political zones are:
NORTH CENTRAL
1. Senator Walid Jibrin
2. Engr. Abdulkadir Kure
3. Senator Ibrahim Mantu
NORTH EAST
4. Aliyu Kaulaha
5. Kashim Ibrahim Imam
6. Baba Umaru
NORTH WEST
7. Alhaji Bello Dange
8. Senator Mohammed Magoro
9. Alhaji Sule Lamido
SOUTH EAST
10. Chief Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu
11. Chief Tony Ukasanya
12. Hon. Patiene Ogodo
SOUTH SOUTH
13 Chief Godwin Bozimo
14. AVM Larry Koinyan Rtd
15. Chief E.B. Edem
SOUTH WEST
16. Chief Olabode George
17. Kolapo Ishola
18. Ebenezer Babatope
The second category of membership has to do with all all serving and past National Chairmen, Deputy National Chairmen and National Secretaries of the Party and they are:
19.BARAJE, ABUBAKAR KAWU
20. DR. MOHAMMED H. BELLO
21.OKWESILIEZE, DR. NWODO
22. ALI, DR. AMADU
23. EKWUEME, DR. ALEX
24. GEMADE, BARNABAS
24. MADUEKWE, OJO
26. OGBULAFOR, VINCENT
27. DR. MUSA BABAYO
28. SOLOMON, CHIEF LAR
29. ALH. YEKINI ADEOJO
30. IBRAHIM SHEMA
31. CHIEF BODE GEORGE
32. SHUAIB OYEDOKUN
The third category provides for all serving and past Presidents and Vice Presidents of the Federal Republic of Nigeria produced by the Party and they are:
33. JONATHAN, GOODLUCK
34.ARC MOHAMMED NAMADI SAMBO
34. OBASANJO, CHIEF OLUSEGUN
The fourth category of membership is made up of all serving and past Presidents of the Senate and Speakers of the House of Representatives; if still members of the Party and they are:
36. MARK, SEN. DAVID
37.TAMBUWAL, HON. AMINU
38. ETTEH, PATRICIA
39. NNAMANI, SEN. KEN
40. MASARI, ALH. AMINU BELLO
41.WABARA, SEN. ADOLPHUS
42. ANYIM, SEN. PIUS
43. BANKOLE, DIMEJI
44. GHALI NA'ABBA
45. SALISU BUHARI
The fifth category of membership has two female members from each of the six geo-political zones:
NORTH CENTRAL
47. NIMOTA, ALHAJA
48. MUSA, KIDA, HAJIA HAUWA
NORTH WEST
49.MUKHTAR RABI MUHAMMED,
50. CHRISTY SILAS·
NORTH EAST
51. MAINA, MRS. ZAINAB
52.EFFA-ATTOE, DR. STELLA
SOUTH-SOUTH
53. OMU, MRS. STELLA
54.OLUYEDE, (MRS.) TITI
SOUTH WEST
55. MAINA, MRS. ADUKE
SOUTH EAST
56. CHIKWE, DR. KEMA
57. EGBOGU, SALLY
The sixth category of members of the BoT are Foundation members and any member of the Party that the Board of Trustees deemed fit to appoint as members of the Board, subject to ratification by the Party's National Convention and they are:
58. Amb. Adamu Hassan- Adamawa
59. Senator Aminu Jibril- Adamawa
60. Chief Tony Anenih- Edo
61. Prince B.B Apugo- Abia
62. Arc. Ibrahim Bunu- Borno
63.Alhaji Adamu Ciroma- Yobe
64. Alhaji Babaje Ibrahim- Katsina
65. Senator Bode Olajumoke- Ondo
66. Senator C.K. Awoyelu-
67. Alhaji Danjuma Goje
68. Dr. Bello Mohammed Haliru
69. Maj. General David Jemibewon
70.Senator Shaaba Lafiagi
71.Major General Abdullahi. B. Mamman
72 Senator F.J. Ellah
73.Garba Nadama
74. Senator Dalhatu Sarki Tafida
75.Senator Obi Onyeabo
76. Dr. Peter Odili
77.Chief Sunny Odogwu
78.Brig. Gen. Samuel Ogbemudia, Rtd
79. Mrs Marian Ali
80.Chief Tunde Oshunrinde
81.Alhaji Shuaibu Oyedokun
82. Dr. Chimaroke Nnamani
83. Aminu Wali
84. General Wole Rotimi
85. Admiral Augustus Aikhomu(late)
86. Dr. Shettima Mustafa
87. Adamu Ahmadu Muazu
88.Adamu Waziri
89.Senator Arthur Nzeribe
90.Professor Jerry Gana
91.Ahmed Muhammed Makarfi
92. Arch. Victor Attah
93. Alhaji Abdullahi Adamu
94. Mrs Josephine Anenih
95. Chief Don Etiebet
96. Chief Jim Nwobodo
97. Dr. Rabiu Kwankwaso
98. Senator Hope Uzodinma
99. Chief Chris Uba
Vanguard Nigeria