By; Peter OSSAI- Abuja
The Leadership crisis rocking the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP seems to be taking newer dimensions as the proposed National Executive Committee, NEC meeting slated for Thursday has been put on hold indefinitely.
nationalTRAIL learnt from dependable sources that in National Working Committee, NWC that the meeting cannot hold because a credible candidate for the position of National Chairman from the North East is yet to emerge.
Last week, the leadership of the PDP disclosed to Journalists that the main organs of the party, including the National Caucus, Board of Trustees, BoT and NEC would meet this week to take a common position on the issuesm causing the crisis in the party.
It may be recalled that prior to the 2012 National Convention of the party, the position of national chairmanship was zoned to the North-east leading to the emergence of Alhaji Bamanga Tukur from Adamawa State as chairman, he later resigned and Adamu Muazu from Bauchi replaced him, but also resigned after the party lost the 2015 Presidential election, and his deputy, Prince Uche Secondus has been running the affairs of the party in acting capacity.
On December 16, an Abuja High Court ruled that Secondus should vacate the seat within 14 days and allow a member of the party from the North East zone to occupy the national chairman’s seat.
Since then, the party has been emeshed in confusion on as the former Political Adviser to past President Goodkuck Jonathan, Alhaji Ahmed Gulak stormed the secretariat with his supporters and declared himself the National Chairman of the party.
Gulak, who arrived the national headquarters of PDP at 1:42pm in company of other aides of former president Jonathan went straight to the third floor of the building, asked that the office of the National Chairman be opened for him, but it was not and he immediately moved to the National Working Committee, NWC Conference hall to address Journalists, using the chair of the National Chairman.
Relying on the High Court ruling, Gulak told journalists that with the application by the PDP and the acting national chairman of PDP, Prince Uche Secondus thrown out, which sought to stop a previous ruling demanding that Secondus should vacate office within 14 days, he had the mandate to take over, being the person who went to court.
Gulak challenged the proposed date of the national convention which was proposed for March this year by the Uche Secondus-led National Working Committee (NWC) against the backdrop that the NWC ought to have first tabled the matter before the National Executive Committee, NEC before announcing it.
But in a swift reaction, the PDP NWC while describing the action as shocking, a taboo, unacceptable, describing him as a fifth columnist working for the All Progressives Congress, APC to cause confusion in the party, stressing that Gulak cannot come through the backdrop to become the National Chairman of the party, asking him to go to his zone, consult, lobby for his name to be submitted from the North East Zone.
Addressing Journalists, PDP National Legal Adviser, Barrister Victor Kwon, who dismissed claims by Gulak, however urged him to go and lobby if he wants to be chairman, saying, “he cannot proclaim himself national chairman as the court did not tell the party to name him national chairman.”
Soon after the development, Governors elected under the PDP subsequently advised Secondus to step aside while the National Secretary of the party, Prof. Wale Oladipo, was asked to take over. But the NWC of the party kicked against the order, insisting that Secondus remains the acting National Chairman.
It was against this background that the NEC meeting was slated for Thursday, but sources said it may not hold, due to yet unresolved issues.
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