The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) yesterday warned all political office holders who are its members to avoid utterances that portray the party in "bad light", apparently referring to criticism of President Jonathan by National Assembly leaders last week.
Senate President David Mark and Speaker Aminu Tambuwal openly criticised Jonathan over what they called poor budget implementation and disregard of parliament resolutions, on the day he presented the 2013 appropriation bill to lawmakers. The PDP national leadership rose from a meeting in Abuja yesterday, threatening to sanction any public official who is its member if they do not stop making statements that would show disunity in the party.
Mark and Tambuwal's names were not specifically mentioned, but the PDP national leadership usually takes sides with the Presidency in the event of public disagreements with the National Assembly.
"The NWC exhaustively discussed and frowned at the disagreeable trend where members of the party elected and appointed into federal positions engage, in utterances and actions that portray the PDP in bad light and as having no unity of purpose," party spokesman Oliseh Metuh told journalists in Abuja yesterday.
Asked if he was referring to Mark and Tambuwal, Metuh said it was a general warning that affects all elected and appointed political office holders who are members of the party.
"We wish to emphasise that our manifesto as well as our constitution is abundantly clear on the need for all party members, especially the elected representatives of the people, to be on the same page at all times in order to ease the realisation of our policies and programmes for the benefit of the people," he said.
"We therefore warn that the party will invoke the full weight of its disciplinary measures on any erring member who further brings the party to disrepute."
Metuh did not mention the disciplinary action that could be taken on members who flout this order, but such action could be suspension or expulsion from the party.
In 2002, PDP suspended then-speaker of the House of Representatives Ghali Na'Abba in the wake of the long-drawn faceoff between the House and then-President Obasanjo.
Beating war drums
Mark and Tambuwal had last week came under criticism from presidency officials—Doyin Okupe and Ahmed Gulak—over their statements to the president on the budget presentation day.
Yesterday, the Senate passed a resolution urging Jonathan to warn his aides against putting him on a collision course with the National Assembly.
This followed the adoption of a motion sponsored by Deputy Senate Leader Abdul Ningi (PDP, Bauchi Central) on Gulak and Okupe.
"These aides are now finding a way of pleasing the president by disparaging the National Assembly," Mark said.
"It is extremely unfortunate. They're supposed to build the bridge of relationship among the arms of government, but they even want to demolish the existing bridge. We don't want any intermediary between us and the president, and they're not capable of doing that."
Deputy Senate President Ike Ekweremadu said if he were Jonathan, he would have immediately sacked Gulak for casting aspersion on the legislature.
Senate Leader Victor Ndoma-Egba described Okupe and Gulak as overzealous aides who were not in tune with the mood of the nation about the current administration.
Senators Smart Adeyemi (PDP, Kogi West), Dahiru Kuta (PDP, Niger), Ali Ndume (PDP, Borno South) and Olusola Adeyeye (ACN, Osun Central) asked the president to be wary of his aides who, according to them, are breeding tension and conflict by undermining the reputation of members of the National Assembly.
'They are on their own'
Yesterday, the Presidency disowned Okupe and Gulak over their comments on the National Assembly. Presidential adviser on National Assembly matters, Mrs Joy Emordi, said in a statement: "Let me state categorically that the alleged statements neither reflect the views of the president on the National Assembly nor the enormous respect he has for the institution and the cordial relationship he has encouraged between the executive and the legislature. In other words, those to whom the statements were credited were on their own and never spoke the mind of the president.
"Mr. President has by his leadership principles predicated on the rule of law and his personal political temperament as a listening president and one never averse to constructive criticism, ensured that both arms of government work together for common good."
Daily Trust