The Leader of the Concerned PDP League (CPDPL), Comrade D. Z. Warmate, said the resignation of the Chairman of the Board of Trustees (BoT) of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Sen. Walid Jubrin and the vote of confidence passed on the party Chairman Sen. Dr. Iyorchia Ayu by the National Executive Committee (NEC) of the PDP is a clear demonstration of the PDP’s inability to resolve its internal crisis let alone to unify and rescue a massive oil tanker like Nigeria sailing on the turbulent high sea. The NEC decision is not only a demonstration of the PDP’s unwillingness and unreadiness to win the 2023 election but it is also indicative of the party leadership’s apparent willingness to violate the provision of its constitution with a view to strengthening the Northern hegemony in the party.
Comrade Warmate spoke to our reporter on Thursday at the Wadata Plaza, PDP National Headquarters in Abuja shortly after the NEC meeting and described the decision as deceitful and disappointing.
Sen. Jibril’s resignation did not address the centrality of the agitation for Ayu’s removal nor the power imbalance in the party between the South and the North but it is a mere attempt to paper over Ayu’s unconstitutional stay in office. Sen. Walid Jibril became the BoT Chairman on Monday 26th May 2016, after the resignation of Alhaji Haliru Mohammed Bello, a former Defence Minister and acting national chairman. Sen. Jibril resigned Thursday 8th September 2022 and served 6 years and 4 months as BoT Chairman, comrade warmate explained. The PDP constitution 2012 and 2017 as amended in part ix section 32 subsection 2(c) states that “The Board of Trustees shall – ensure that the chairman and secretary of the Board of Trustees (BoT) shall, subject to subsection (7) and (8) of this Section, serve a term of five years and no more”.
The CPDPL Leader condemned and rejected the vote of confidence passed by the National Executive Committee (NEC) on the Dr. Iyorchia Ayu-led National Working Committee (NWC), describing it as a kiss of misfortune and electoral defeat for the PDP in 2023.
Comrade Warmate emphasised that Sen. Iyachu Ayu had earlier promised that, if the presidential candidate emerged from the North, he would step down as party chairman after the convention, to give way to a chairperson from the South in line with the PDP constitution.
The CPDPL leader contended that the PDP’s current hierarchy of leadership is against every tenet of equity, justice, and fairness enshrined in the PDP constitution. The situation in which the North is holding the most powerful two positions in the party (The Presidential Candidate and the National Chairman at the same time) is unacceptable, gross injustice, and a miscarriage of equity and fairness to the people of the South.
Who will protect the interest of the south particularly when decisions are made at the top? Comrade Warmate retorted. The lopsided and unpopular decision by NEC, the Northern Northern Leadership of PDP is no different from the APC Muslim-Muslim ticket. How will Atiku and Ayu rescue Nigeria when they can not rescue PDP? How would Atiku and Ayu unite Nigeria and Nigerians when they are incapable of fostering unity within the PDP? How can they be fair to all Nigerians when they are not fair to Southern members of PDP? Comrade Warmate retorted.
Comrade Warmate debunked the erroneous impression and believe in some quarters that the Concerned PDP League (CPDPL) is being sponsored by Gov. Wike. The CPDPL Leader said nothing could be further from the truth. He said, while not conceding to the wrong impression but assuming it was the case, what’s wrong if Gov. Wike supports the group for fighting the good fight? Comrade Warmate said the CPDPL will support anyone or group that stands up for the PDP to do the right thing. He reiterated that, as a pressure and advocacy group, the CPDPL is defending the constitution of the PDP while extending the democratic rights of our members in particular and Nigerians in general.
According to Comrade Warmate, millions of party faithful and Nigerians want Ayu to go so that our great party can finally get on with the huge task of rescuing Nigeria from the clutches of the clapped-out APC administration.
#AyuMustGo
