The new Peoples Democratic Party (nPDP) has condemned the suspension of four of its key members by the Bamanga Tukur-led PDP, saying it was a flagrant abuse of the party’s constitution.
Eze Chukwuemeka Eze, the splinter group’s National Publicity Secretary in a statement Monday night, insisted that only the National Executive Committee (NEC) of the party was competent to take action against the four party stalwarts suspended.
He therefore, described the National Working Committee (NWC) meeting presided over by Mr. Tukur that took the decision as “funny”, insisting that the decision should be reversed and Mr. Oyinlola be reinstated as the authentic National Secretary of the party as directed by Court of Appeal in Abuja.
“We have learnt with sadness the continued effort by Tukur and his NWC to rubbish the democratic credentials of PDP by embarking ceaselessly on exercises of impunity by announcing the suspension of Alhaji Abubakar Kawu Baraje who was once the National Chairman of PDP, Dr. Sam. Jaja, one time National Vice Chairman of PDP, Barr Olasgunsoye the current National Secretary of PDP and Ambassador Ibrahim Kazaure who was once a member of the PDP NEC in flagrant and abuse of the PDP Constitution Article 57 subsections 7 and 8 which states that “Notwithstanding any other provision of this Constitution relating to discipline, no Executive Committee at any level except NEC shall entertain any question of discipline as may relate or concern a member of the NEC, Public Officer Holder I.e. Ministers, Ambassadors, Special advisers or any member of the Legislative Houses! No disciplinary Committee at any level except National Disciplinary Committee shall impose any punishment provided under Article 57 of the Constitution arising from any disciplinary on any person named in Article 57 of this Constitution.
“With this sections of our Constitution and considering that Prince Oyinlola by his position as the incumbent National Secretary of PDP as stated by the Appeal Court and considering the privileged positions both Kawu Baraje, Sam Jaja and Ambassador Kazaure have occupied in the party it becomes a imperative and a sacrosanct fact that only the NEC of the party and not any funny NWC can suspend such calibre of members of the party as mentioned above therein and sadly for the ignoramus handling the affairs of PDP at the moment which undemocratic acts are legendary the continued plot to expose our party as lacking in principle should be condemned by all and sundry,” Eze said.
The new PDP also contended that the suspension was illegal, saying it lacked not only democratic character but lack common understanding of the PDP Constitution. He said, “To us this is an abuse of the Judiciary which recently reinstated Oyinlola as the National Secretary of the party, abuse of the Nigerian Constitution on fair hearing and most importantly exposing the intolerant attitude of Tukur and his sponsors
“With this greatest joke of the century, Tukur and his funny NWC have only succeeded in exposing themselves not only as champion of undemocratic acts but the greatest enemies of PDP as all their actions are all geared at ensuring that peace eludes the party. Nigerians can now understand why we are hell bent of ensuring that these military mentally inclined men are removed from our political psyche if we are to enrich and uplift our democratic credentials”.
The group therefore, called on NEC and other government agencies “not to entertain any document or letter from PDP without the authorization of Prince Oyinlola in view of the fact that he is the incumbent National Secretary of PDP fully recognized and sanctioned by a creditable Court of our country”.
Eze, enjoined PDP numerous members across the country to remain calm, steadfast and focused “as we fight the illegality which Tukur and his people represent as the task to strengthen and rebuild our party is a task that we must conclude”.
Also reacting, Mr. Oyinlola said, “This is part of the impunity we are protesting against. None of us has been queried or requested to give explanations for any alleged offence.
“And if they are reacting to the issue of the new PDP, why did they decide to leave out the serving state governors, senators and members of the House of Representatives who have been very vocal?
“It’s all an attempt to circumvent the ruling of the Court of Appeal. Certainly, the last has not been heard about this matter and I am sure that truth will prevail over falsehood,’”
