Fresh crisis is brewing within the ruling Peoples’ Democratic
Party (PDP) as some governors are said to be angry with the party’s
National Chairman, Alhaji Adamu Mu’azu, for allegedly tampering with the
result of the ward congresses in their respective states.
The aggrieved governors include, Isa Yuguda of Bauchi State, Gabriel
Suswam of Benue State, Godswill Akpabio of Akwa Ibom, Ibrahim Shema of
Katsina State and Liyel Imoke of Cross River State, Punch reports.
Also, some members of the party’s National Working Committee are
accusing one another of taking side with some influential members of the
party in some states concerning the recently held ward congresses.
It was gathered that the matter which has already been reported to
President Goodluck Jonathan was threatening the chances of the party
winning the forthcoming 2015 elections in some states.
Speaking on the matter on Abuja on Monday evening, November 18, two
members of the NWC accused some other members of the NWC of working
against some governors and these governors were already mobilising
against the party’s national leadership.
They added that the leadership of the party was already divided and it was affecting the workings of the party.
One of the NWC members said, “The party is in a mess. We don’t
know how to handle it even though we are trying to hide it, because we
don’t want this crisis to affect the chances of President Goodluck
Jonathan in the election.
“These governors are angry that some people within us are helping
their enemies to manipulate the result of the congresses here at the
party’s national headquarters, and they are spoiling for war.
“The governors are even joining the enemies of Mu’azu now to see
if he could be eased out of office. That shows the level of
disenchantment within the leadership.”
Another NWC member said: “We are trying to manage the crisis. We
already have a tensed situation in some states, like Enugu, Benue,
Katsina and Kaduna states, where if care is not taken, we may lose the
governorship elections in the states to the opposition political party.
“Already, a former chairman of the party, Alhaji Bamanga Tukur,
is being encouraged to file a case in court to challenge the way and
manner he was moved out of office.
“We pray that this issue doesn’t lead to a serious constitutional
crisis in the party, as those opposed to the chairman have remained his
ouster.”
Mu’azu was in January 2014, appointed national Chairman of the PDP by the party’s National Executive Committee after the former Chairman, Bamanga Tukur resigned.
However, two aggrieved members of the PDP, Mr Emmanuel Onu
and Mr Ezionye Ndubuisi, had in separate law suits filed in September
and October 2014 at the Federal High Court in Abuja, asked for removal
of Mu’azu as PDP’s national chairman.
Reports later surfaced that the two lawsuits seeking his removal had been withdrawn from court.