Jubilation in Sokoto as PDP recalls Wamakko

[PeoplesDaily]

By Lawrence Olaoye, Abuja & Mahmoud Muhammad, Sokoto

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) yesterday lifted the suspension of the Sokoto state Governor, Dr. Aliyu Magatakarda Wamakko, and recalled him into the party.

The decision heralded jubilation across Sokoto as Wamakko's supporters trouped out in their numbers and later held a rally of sorts at the party's secretariat.

In Abuja, the party's National Working Committee (NWC) also resolved to hold its National Executive Council (NEC)'s meeting on Thursday, 20th of June.

Briefing newsmen after a meeting with the Presidential committee on crises in the PDP, the National Chairman, Alhaji Bamanga Tukur, said the party leadership took the decision on Wamakko in difference to pleas by the committee led by its Chairman, Anyim Pius Anyim, the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF).

According to him, the party resolved to suspend Wamakko in order to enforce discipline just as he warned that his leadership would not sit down to allow indiscipline reign freely in the party.

He stressed that the PDP under his leadership would be premised on unity, discipline and total commitment.

He also disclosed that all the statutory members of the NEC would be invited to attend the Thursday meeting.

Tukur said, "the NWC has rescinded the suspension of the Sokoto state Governor on the appeal of the PDP Governors' Forum and secondly the National Chairman is inviting the PDP statutory members to the meeting of National Executive Committee holding on Thursday, at 12 noon."

Commenting on the outcome of the meeting with the NWC, the PDP Governors' Forum's Chairman, Godswill Akpabio, who doubled as the spokesperson of the committee at the meeting said that, "we came as a select committee of the Peoples Democratic Party to discuss the state of affairs of our great party, particularly the relationship between the working committee and the PDP governors.

"I want to say that we make a very strong appeal to the working committee on behalf of our colleague, the Governor of Sokoto state, Governor Wamakko.

"And our appeal was very simple, that the working committee should consider the suspension, the decision suspending the governor and we say as guarantors that we will be of good conduct and will do everything possible to continue to show respect to our party and to ensure that cordiality is maintained between the working committee and the PDP governors.

"We took this decision based on the numerous media reports, some of which are misleading and which are not really the true reflection of the relationship existing between the PDP governors and the working committee of our great party.

"We are mindful of the fact that we are governors today because the PDP gave us the opportunity to fly its flag and therefore, we will not do anything to undermine the party.

"And, the other aspect of what the working committee has also attended to is the request by the PDP governors and in fact both members of PDP across the nation, that there is need for us to have the National Executive Council (NEC)."

Asked why the suspension slammed on the Governor of Rivers state, Rotimi Amaechi, was not lifted, Akpabio said the meeting did not discuss Amaechi because it would be subjudice as Amaechi had gone to seek redress.

The PDP suspended Wamakko last week over alleged anti-party activities.

The Governor's suspension was announced while he was on a trip abroad and coming barely one week after the party had announced the suspension of Amaechi, also for alleged anti-party activities.

The post Jubilation in Sokoto as PDP recalls Wamakko appeared first on Peoples Daily Newspaper, Nigeria.

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[Folami David]

Of course we all expected the jubilation immediately it was announced that he has been recalled. That is simply the case there...