MPs lose out on PDP NEC membership

[DT]

     A proposed provision in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Constitution which would have allowed 74 party members in the National Assembly to be part of the party's National Executive Committee (NEC) has been stepped down.  

Former PDP National Legal Adviser and Chairman of the Constitution Review Committee, Chief Olusola Oke, said in an interview with Daily Trust yesterday in Abuja.  

Chief Oke said, "that aspect was stepped down because of controversy it generated."

The Oke-led PDP Constitution Review Committee had recommended that one senator each and one House of Representatives member each from the 36 states of the federation, including the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) should be included in the PDP NEC.

The recommendation generated controversy during the PDP 59th NEC meeting as governors viewed the plans as an attempt by President Goodluck Jonathan to whittle down their influence on the party.

The tension generated led to the constitution of a special committee led by President Jonathan with Vice President Namadi Sambo, six state governors, six members of the National Assembly, three former chairmen of the party, former chairmen of the Board of Trustees (BOT) and six members of the National Working Committee (NWC) to examine the constitutional amendment proposal and present a roadmap for the way forward.

He also explained that another provision dropped due to opposition was the recommendation for direct primaries in the nomination of candidates for election.

"There are two aspects to the PDP Constitution: amendment to the existing provisions and the introduction of new provisions. On the new provisions, the following organs were introduced to the PDP Constitution: Local Government Caucus, State Elders Committee, Senatorial District Caucus and a National Financial Committee.

"Another provision includes the expansion of the National Caucus, by admitting six governors. Other areas touched are the re-configuration of the State Assembly, House of Representatives and Senate congresses, by reducing the number of delegates to those congresses to a level that will ensure equity and fairness in relation to state congress during the nomination of candidates for election.

"In other words, before now, the number of delegates to those congresses was larger in comparison to that of state congress which makes a senator to have more delegates to a governor. So, that anomaly has been removed.

"Another provision amended is the one relating to gender sensitivity for women participation has been increased from 15 per cent to 35 per cent. Also, the one on discipline has been further enhanced while provision on waiver has also been tightened.

"There is also the function of deputy national chairman. Before now, there is no specific provision that empowers the deputy national chairman to act for national chairman. A provision that empowers the deputy national chairman to do so has been included," Oke added.


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Daily Trust