PDP crisis deepens as party breaks into two factions, following Anyanwu, 3 others suspension

The peoples Democratic Party PDP has finally broken into two factions, following decision to suspended Samuel Anyanwu, the party’s National Secretary and three other members of the party by the party’s National Working Committee NWC

The party’s National Working Committee (NWC) had earlier taken a decision to suspend Anyanwu and the three others at an emergency meeting of Saturday

The party announced that this is in pursuant to the provision of Section 58 and 59 of the PDP Constitution (as amended in 2017)

The party also suspended Umar Bature – National Organizing Secretary, Kamaldeen Ajibade the National Legal Adviser and Okechukwu Osuoha- Deputy National Legal Adviser,

The officers were suspended for a period of one month and referred to the National Disciplinary Committee for further action.

During the period of the suspension, the affected officers cease to function in their respective capacities.

In the case of the National Secretary, Pursuant to Section 36(2) of the PDP Constitution, the Deputy National Secretary, Setonji Koshoedo shall act as the National Secretary.

In the case of the National Legal Adviser and the Deputy National Legal Adviser, the National Director of Legal Services was directed to oversees the activities of the Department.

Debo Ologuagba , the party’s National Publicity Secretary, who spoke for the Umar Damagum’s faction, linked their suspension to “anti-party activities as contained in the constitution of the party”

” What we have identified as majorly constituting the offences under our constitution is that anybody who breaches any party of the constitution or manifesto, or says or does anything under section 58, any member that says or does anything that will bring the party to disrepute, hatred or contempt, disobeys or neglects, carry out unlawful directives for the party or any organ or officer of the party or engages in any conduct likely to cause disaffection among members of the party, or likely to cause disaffection in the conduct of the business of the party”‘

He disclosed that the NWC considered these and other actions in line with the constitution of the party.

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According to him ” The National Legal Adviser, Kamal Ajibade is suspended for 30 days and he is referred to the national disciplinary committee of the party. The Deputy National Legal Adviser, Bar. Okechukwu Osuoha is also suspended for 30 days in line with the constitution and referred to the disciplinary committee as may be necessary. During the period of suspension, they cease to function in the capacity of their respective offices.”

“The National Organising Secretary, Hon. Umar Bature is suspended for a period of one month and refereed to the national disciplinary committee.

“The National Secretary, Sen. Samuel Anyanwu is suspended for one month and referred to the national disciplinary committee. In the case of National Secretary pursuant to section 36(2) of the constitution as amended in 2017, the Deputy National Secretary, Hon. Arch Setonji Koshedo shall act as National Secretary.

“In the case of the legal adviser and deputy legal adviser, the Director of Legal Services has been empowered and directed has been directed to oversee the department during the period of suspension.”

But in a retaliatory move, Anyanwu said he “summoned emergency meeting of NWC. And we unfortunately this morning, we heard from the social media that a group of people met, who are part of members of the NWC, to say that the National Secretary of the party, who is the co-chairman of the secretariat of the party, the National Organising Secretary, who has the responsibility of monitoring everything that has to do with party congresses and conventions, the National Deputy Legal Adviser, and of course the National Legal Adviser of the party, who has the sole responsibility of every issue that has to do with legality of a party, was suspended for one month. I extended this invitation to all members of NWC to meet here today, because today is weekend and the secretariat is not open, and we decided to have this meeting. I invited everybody for this meeting.”

Anyanwu commended the judiciary over the judgment of Justice James Omotoso, which he described as “a victory for entire PDP members all over.
“Nobody can claim victory of the judgment of the court. It is a judgment against impunity, against illegality, we promote unity and peace and cohesion of the party.

“Having said that, the party did not overlook the activities of some members of NWC, who have already decided to cause disaffection in the party, that has made most of our leaders, most of our governors, leave the party in droves. I would say that this is time to arrest such situation and call it to order.

“On this note, after emergency meeting, we decided, as a party, to suspend Ambassador Illiya Damagum, the National Chairman of the party, for incompetence, misappropriation of party funds, and disobedience, fragile disobedience of court judgments”

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” The former National Vice-Chairman of the South-East, who has been expelled by the party, which was even confirmed as a judgment of yesterday, continued to hide under the National Vice-Chairman because of his personal interests, against the interests of the entire party in the country.

Anyanwu said the Court judgement had nullified every meeting, both the National Working Committee meetings, which he was a part of. “Court nullified those things, and this is an abuse of his office. So, on that note, we decided that we should suspend him for one month, and we will send him to the Discplinary Committee, for him to be able to answer questions, pending the time he is out of his suspension.

“Secondly, we have overwhelming evidences against the National Public Secretary”

.He also noted that the National Public Secretary Debo Ologunagba, had been suspended for appearing or defending the party because of frequent press releases. For us to have sanity in the party, we have suspended him.

” Thirdly, we have looked at Ambassador Arapaja, who also has joined as the Deputy National Chairman South, who is supposed to have advised the National Chairman, on such anti-party activities, and reckless activities, which is unwarranted of a party chairman. On that note, he is also suspended for 30 days.

“Now, we talk about the National Financial Secretary. We have discovered that in the last few days, few months, there have been congresses, sale of forms, meant for our congresses, which were bought, having been paid in two different accounts, which was controlled by the National Financial Secretary. So on this note, he has been suspended, and we are sending him to the Disciplinary Committee, and we are also going to involve the financial agencies, to look into those activities.

“Again, the youth leader, the youth wing is a strong organ of this party. The youth all over, if you watched yesterday, the youth leaders all over the country met and said that they don’t want Mohamed Kandede to be their youth leader again, because he has never activated the youth wing of our party, and that wing has been abandoned and for that reason, he has also been suspended for one month.

“Finally, the Deputy National Secretary, who is supposed to be my deputy, is also suspended for one month. He resumed the office of the National Secretary illegal, signed all kinds of letters, especially to some states, where he has caused disaffection against our party, amongst our party members in those states. For that reason, he has also been suspended for 30 days.

“All of them are sent to the Disciplinary Committee to show cause why they should not be expelled from the party. Having said that, ladies and gentlemen, the party is strong. We still believe in the party.

“We believe in the party, and strongly believe that the party. As a matter of fact, we are strong as a party. We are united.

Speaking further on the judgment, Anyanwu said the judgement ” confirmed the reason why this suspension should be effective. In their place, especially the National Chairman, we are asking the National Vice-Chairman, North Central, to act as National Chairman”

“In the place of the National Public Secretary, we are going to ask the Director of Publicity of our party, Chinwen Nnorom, to take over all the activities of the party in terms of information.

Ladies and gentlemen of the press, this is the outcome of our emergency meeting which we had today. Unfortunately, the National Legal Advisor is in Canada, where he has gone for the International Bar Conference. We had just a Zoom meeting with him, and he is in tandem with this communique.”