By Sarah NEGEDU
Ahead of Saturday’s national convention of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in Ibadan, the Wike-aligned faction of the party is intensifying its pushback, insisting that no exercise carried out in defiance of court orders can claim legitimacy within the party.
The group under the platform of the Progressive and Democratic Stakeholders of the PDP, insist that the gathering has no constitutional basis and warned that those promoting it are dragging the PDP into avoidable chaos.
Rising from its national working committee meeting on Thursday, the faction said it would not be part of any process that violates court orders or undermines the constitution of the PDP, insisting that its members will continue to operate strictly within the confines of legality.
Thursday’s meeting comes just days after the same bloc inaugurated a new Board of Trustees, BoT, led by Senator Mao Ohuabunwa, following their sacking of Senator Adolphus Wabara and Senator Ahmed Makarfi as chairman and secretary respectively.
The faction had accused the former board of losing moral authority and failing to guide the party with integrity.
The new BoT chairman, Senator Ohuabunwa, who spoke to journalists after the meeting, said the group has resolved to obey all judicial pronouncements and stay away from what he called an unlawful gathering in Ibadan.
“We have met as the National Working Committee of the PDP and reviewed our activities. We have agreed to obey all the court decisions on the Ibadan convention. So, we are not part of the exercise.
“Ibadan is a public place; people can go for anything but not for convention. Anyone going there in the name of a convention should consider it a jamboree. We won’t tolerate fragrant abuse of the constitution by some individuals in the name of a convention,” he said.
The faction reaffirmed its commitment to the rule of law and vowed to resist what it described as attempts by the suspended National Chairman, Ambassador Umar Damagum, to plunge the party into further crisis.
In his remarks, the factional National Chairman of the party, Abdulrahman Muhammad, also warned delegates across the country to stay away from the convention, stressing that the group would not compromise its stand on due process and party discipline.
“We are concerned with moving PDP forward, therefore, all delegates across the country should stay away from the Ibadan convention,” Muhammad said.
On his part, the FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike, commended members of the faction for standing firm in defence of the party’s constitution, assuring them of his continued support and loyalty.
“I am happy with your concern about the party in your respective areas. I will continue to support you people. I won’t betray you people,” Wike said.
Meanwhile, the Progressive and Democratic Stakeholders in a communiqué issued at the end of the meeting, reaffirmed their commitment to lawful conduct and due process, warning that any assembly held in defiance of court orders holds “no meaning, legitimacy, or binding effect on the PDP family.”
“While we acknowledge the constitutional liberty of any group of Nigerians to assemble, we emphasize that such assemblies, when conducted in defiance of subsisting judicial pronouncements, hold no meaning, legitimacy, or binding effect on the PDP family. Our party can only stand, succeed, and prosper on the solid foundation of respect for the rule of law, not by indulging or enabling actions that undermine it.
“In this regard, the proposed national convention in Ibadan is not only at variance with the clear judgment of the Federal High Court but is also against the spirit of the law and the rule of law.
“We therefore enjoin all respecters of the law-party members, leaders, delegates, and stakeholders-to keep away from any activity, assembly, or process that stands in open contradiction to lawful directives and judicial clarity.”
The communiqué further noted that the PDP cannot proceed with a national convention while congresses at the state and local government levels remain unresolved and are still pending before the courts.
“To do otherwise would amount to a direct assault on the rule of law and an invitation to disorder within the party.
“Our commitment is simple and firm: the PDP shall stand, and we shall stand by doing what is right. By upholding the law, honouring the courts, and protecting the integrity of our internal processes, we shall lead the party toward stability, unity, and enduring success,” the communiqué stated.
