Strong indications emerged, yesterday, that the move by some senior members of Peoples Democratic Party,
PDP, to oust its National Working Committee, NWC, would end in futility
following the continued absence of the party’s National Chairman,
Alhaji Adamu Mu‘azu.
Mu‘azu is out of the country, reportedly on a medical trip, and his return today has reportedly been put on hold.
Mu‘azu is out of the country, reportedly on a medical trip, and his return today has reportedly been put on hold.
He is required to summon a meeting of the National Executive Committee,
NEC, of the party, the only body that has the power, besides the
National Convention, to discipline or remove a national officer of the
party.
Sources in the party told Chat212 yesterday that a NEC meeting does not
look feasible until after May 29 when President Goodluck Jonathan would
have stepped down from office.
Following the poor performance of the party in the March 28 presidential
election, senior party stakeholders had sought for a NEC meeting to
review the development.
A NEC meeting, under normal circumstances, would have taken place before
the May 29 hand over date. But it does not look feasible that the
embattled NWC members would oblige to call a meeting before that day.
At the National Secretariat of PDP, Chat212 gathered that there were no
signs of the party holding a NEC meeting, as staff bluntly told Chat212
that no date had been fixed.
The National Chairman, through the National Secretary, has the power to
summon a meeting of NEC. In his absence, the deputy national chairman
would summon a meeting. Mu’azu and his deputy, Prince Uche Secondus are,
however, presently not in the country.
The last NEC was held last September before the March and April elections.
Chat212 gathered that while Mu’azu is out of the country for medical
attention, his deputy travelled to attend to some family issues that
were left unattended to prior to the elections.
The PDP National Chairman, a source told Chat212, was billed to return
to the country today. But strong indications emerged that he may not be
able to come back to the country this week as expected due to what may
be described as strong counsel by his doctors.
It was also gathered that the NWC members may be waiting for the
expiration of the tenure of the President and majority of the PDP
governors on May 29, before deciding on when to hold NEC.
Statutory members of NEC are the President, Vice President, President of
the Senate, Deputy Speaker of the House of Represen-tatives, governors
in the party, NWC members, former chairmen and secretaries, Chairman,
Secretary of BoT, among others.