PDP crisis: Chairmen back governors against Tukur

Despite its leaders’ desperation for peace, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) seems to be sinking deeper into trouble.

Leaders of former President Olusegun Obasanjo’s faction of the party’s Ogun State chapter were yesterday expelled for “anti-party activities”.

Besides, state chairmen took sides with the governors in the crisis sparked by the power struggle in the Adamawa State chapter.

The chairmen insisted that Alhaji Mijinwa Kaugama is the chairman of the party.

National Chairman Bamanga Tukur is backing Mr. Joel Madaki.

Adamawa State Governor Murtala Nyako is battling against Tukur for the party’s leadership .

Nyako, with the support of governors, is backing Kaugama.

At a meeting at the weekend in Abuja, the 36 state chairmen urged the party to call a meeting of its highest organ, the the National Executive Council (NEC), to resolve the Adamawa crisis.

They disowned the various congresses that produced the Madaki faction.

In a communique signed by the Benue State chairman, Dr. Emmanuel Agboh, who heads the forum, and secretary, Makanjuola Ogundipe, the chairmen said they would continue to relate with the Kaugama-led executive in Adamawa State.

The communique said: “The conference expressed delight on the development in Adamawa State which saw to the re-instatement of the Kaguma-led executive and appealed for continued fraternity on the part of members so as to further enhance the party’s internal cohesion.

“Kaugama attended the PDP chairmen’s conference and we recognised him as the state chairman. We are not aware of the Joel Madaki group and he is not one of us and, therefore, we are not aware that any other congress election took place.

“Moreover, our governors that are the leaders of the party in the states have spoken and we are supporting their position that the state executive of the party in Adamawa is the one led by Kaugama.

“As chairmen of the party in the states, we are expressing delight on the position taken by the governors of the party and that is why we are expressing our support”, the communique stated.

In Abeoluta, the governorship candidate of the party in the 2011 election, Gen. Adetunji Olurin, was expelled.

National Auditor Mr. Bode Mustapha and the Chairman of the faction believed to be loyal to Obasanjo, Senator Dipo Odujinrin, were also expelled.

In a statement, Publicity Secretary Waliu Oladipupo said Ogun PDP, under the leadership of Mr. Adedayo Bayo, expelled Olurin, Mustapha and Odujirin in line with Section 58 (1) b, f, j, k and I of the party’s Constitution.

The party also suspended Mr. Dapo Adeyemi and Mr. Yahaya Ahmed from Ifo Local Government and Ado/Odo Ota Local Government for six years, in accordance with Section 58 58 (1) b, f, j, k and I of the party’s constitution.

The five former members had earlier been suspended on November 3, last year for one month, following alleged anti-party activities.

Oladipupo said the affected members failed to appear before a disciplinary committee to defend the charges against them within the 30 days stipulated by the party’s constitution.

The party said as a responsible organisation that believes in discipline and the Rule of Law, it would initiate contempt proceedings against the former members and those suspended “since they have continuously shown their disdain for the judiciary”.

The party recalled that the Federal High Court in Lagos, in a judgment delivered on November 16, last year, nullified the purported congress that they conducted and ordered their arrest and prosecution for holding themselves out as officers of the party in Ogun State.

This was sequel to two judgments delivered by an Ogun State High Court sitting in Ilaro which on 19th June and 3rd August, 2012, affirmed the Mr. Adebayo Dayo-led executive is the authentic management body for the party and nullified the list of candidates submitted for the 21st July, 2012 council election in Ogun State by the other faction.