On the heels of repeated calls for the resignation of the Alhaji Adamu Mu’azu’s led National Working Committee, NWC, of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, the NWC has warned aides and associates of President Goodluck Jonathan to desist from their determination to cause crisis in the party and engender more defection or face the full wrath of the party’s disciplinary measures.
The NWC said the aides and associate were using their closeness to President Jonathan to cause crisis in the party, adding that it would expose such individuals if they do not retrace their steps.
The NWC, in a statement issued by the party’s National Publicity Secretary, Olisa Metuh said it is “aware of the clandestine activities of such aides and associates of the President including their unholy alliance with some elements in other parties to undermine and weaken the PDP by attacking its leadership.
“The NWC is aware that these same individuals who mismanaged the presidential campaigns are now desperately seeking to cause crisis in the PDP with a view not only to divert attention from their misdeeds but also to ensure that they remained politically relevant by hijacking the party structure for their selfish purposes.
“We are aware that these individuals have been trying to arm-twist the President to summon a meeting of party leaders at the Presidential Villa in the coming days where the NWC members would be put under pressure to resign thereby triggering a crisis in the leadership at the national level.
“The party is aware that the same group has been sponsoring series of amorphous bodies and negative publications in a section of the media to peddle false allegations against the NWC to back their heinous and unconstitutional demands that the President should sack the NWC before the handover date of May 29, 2015.
“However, for the purposes of clarity, especially for those making uninformed demands on the President, the PDP National Working Committee is duly elected and its tenure ends in March 2016 in line with the provisions of the party’s constitution. The PDP is a party built on the rule of law and democratic ethos. Its NWC is elected and not appointed and as such cannot be sacked at will or by an executive fiat. Besides, no section of the party constitution prescribes that the NWC should quit if the party loses in a general election.
“Furthermore, the PDP constitution is clear on the process of summoning a meeting of party leaders and the role of the NWC in that regard is well-defined. Anything outside the laid down rules and the provisions of the constitution in this respect is completely of no effect.
“Moreover, President Goodluck Jonathan has amply demonstrated his strict adherence to the rule of law and the tenets of democracy even on issues of party administration and should not in anyway be hassled by these selfish and greedy elements to destroy his legacies.
“Consequently, the leadership of the PDP by this statement makes it very clear and in an unambiguous terms too that it will no longer condone such divisive actions by the same unscrupulous individuals who in their selfishness ruined the fortunes of our great party in the general elections.
“The NWC will no longer tolerate actions that tend to undermine discipline and the supremacy of the party and its constitution, as it will henceforth not hesitate to apply full disciplinary measures for infractions
“Our advice to these ambitious aides and associates of the President is to leave party matters and concentrate on the Presidential transition and smooth handover of power to the incoming administration as well as preparing for post handover issues that might arise regarding the administration in which they served”, the party stated.
On the accusations that the leadership of the party fell short of expectations in the performance of the party in the general elections and allegations of mismanagement of Presidential campaign funds, the NWC said it hands are clean and has no case to answer.
“Nigerians are not at loss as to the fact that the PDP NWC did not manage the campaign and its fund. Those who managed the campaigns have already submitted their reports to the President who in his wisdom gave them the mandate and they have been applauded for a job well done at that level”, the statement said.
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