PDP convention fallout – New faction emerges, disowned

A national chairmanship candidate in the December 9, 2017 Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) elective national convention, Tunde Adeniran, has disowned a group which announced its intention to create a new faction within the party.
Adeniran who spoke through the Director of his campaign organisation, Shehu Garban, in Abuja stated that anybody who has genuine grievances was free to express them but cautioned that it should not be linked to him.
The former Education Minister admitted that although he had issues with the convention, he had submitted himself to the internal dispute resolution mechanism of the party and that the Seriake Dickson-led post-convention reconciliation panel is looking into them.
On the presence of a member of his campaign team in the aggrieved group, the former minister said that the group does not represent him.
Some aggrieved members of the PDP had in Abuja on Wednesday, expressed disaffection about the recent conducted convention, threatening to form a splinter group.
Led by one Emmanuel Nwosu, the four aggrieved persons who are not supported by any prominent party leader said they are on the verge of reforming the party.
Nwosu, however, denied report that his group was being sponsored by an All Progressives Congress (APC) governor in the South East.
Nwosu’s reaction came as speculation became rife on Wednesday that the APC governor who was in Abuja since Tuesday had held nocturnal meetings with the group with a view to causing disaffection in the opposition.
At the press conference earlier, Nwosu said the emergence of the National Working Committee (NWC) led by Uche Secondus at the December 9 national convention will not stand.
The group, which called itself “Fresh PDP”, opened a secretariat at Number 10 Tito Broz Street, Asokoro Abuja.

According to Nwosu, the “‘Fresh PDP’ is emerging due to the imposition of a unity list on members on December 9, 2017”.
But the national leadership of the party, said that the PDP is completely unperturbed by what it called the ‘comical act’ of some individuals who make outlandish claims in the media regarding the party.
A statement issued by the National Publicity Secretary of the PDP, Kola Ologbondiyan, reads in part: “The fact is that we are happy with the efforts of the Governor Seriake Dickson-led Reconciliation Committee as well as the responses from all the respectable and responsible leaders of our party in that regard.
“We will however not be responsible or respond to any person or groups of individuals who decide to allow themselves to be used by forces from another political party in a laughable and childish attempt to distract us.
“The PDP under the Prince Uche Secondus-led national leadership will continue to focus on repositioning our great party to be the formidable opposition that will guarantee checks and balances in our polity and ultimately regain power in 2019”.

Meanwhile, President Muhammadu Buhari has requested the Senate to confirm the nomination of nine Resident Electoral Commissioners (REC) for the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
This was contained in a letter read on the floor of the upper legislative chamber by Senate President Bukola Saraki at Wednesday plenary.
In the letter addressed to Saraki, the President said his request was in line with the provisions of Section 154(1) of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended).
The nominees are: Monday Tom (Akwa Ibom), Baba Abba Yusuf (Borno), Eric Olawale (Osun), Segun Agbaje (Ekiti) and Cyril Omorogbe (Edo).
Others are: Uthman Ajidagba (Kwara), Yahaya Bello (Nassarawa), Emmanuel Hart (Rivers) and Mohammed Ibrahim (Gombe).

 

OWEDE AGBAJILEKE, Abuja