As the year 2023 is fast approaching, jostling for control of the party structure in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is threatening to tear the party apart from as political actors in states like Plateau, Kaduna, Ekiti, Ogun and many more states have commenced scheming ahead of time.
There is tension in the above-mentioned states on who should control the party structure ahead of 2023 as different political gladiators with different ambition want to set the party ablaze in pursuit of their personal interest.
Accordingly, some loyal party caucus is expressing fear that failure of the Prince Uche Secondus lead National working Committee (NWC) to fix the problem early enough will spell doom for the party as the crises will continue to deepen before the 2023 general election.
For example in Plateau state, two factions of the party have emerged both in form of caretaker committees and both claiming legitimacy with the national body playing mute, one faction being led by Mr Yakubu Choco while the other lead by Hon. Nandom Pyennap.
It was gathered that the Pyennap faction is being backed by Sen. Jeremiah Hussaini, the Governorship candidate in the 2019 general election; while the Choco led committee is the baby of the former governor Jonah Jang and the PDP National Secretary, Sen. Umar Tsauri.
Daily Trust reports that in Ekiti state, a similar thing is obtainable as there is parallel ward executive across the state, there is a suit instituted to restrain the party from recognising the list of executives produced by the Haruna Manu-led congress committee in the state.
More so, the state chapter of the party was greeted with fresh crises after the Olujimi and Fayose factions produced parallel executive lists after a failed congress.
A party big wig in the state, Sen. Duro Faseyi revealed NWC’s intervention in this trying time is necessary to restore peace and reunite the party members for a common purpose so that the PDP can wrestle back the power in the state.
Similarly, the Kaduna state chapter of the party is not different as the party was thrown into confusion leading to the suspension/expulsion of some party stalwarts in the state.
Sen. Suleiman Hunkuyi, Dr John Danfulani and four others were on May 16, 2020, suspended from the party over allegation of anti-party activities which the PDP hinged its action on section 57(3) of the party constitution of 2017 (as amended).
According to the party publicity secretary, Abraham Catoh, a seven-man disciplinary committee headed by Hamza Ishaq Danmahawayi has dispatched a letter of invitation to all the suspended members to appear before it, however, only Hamisu Garba honoured the invitation.
Subsequently, after due consultation of party stakeholders and the state working committee who met on Monday to consider the committee recommendation of the disciplinary committee and approved the expulsion of Sen. Hunkuyi and others from the party.
Catoh said, while Hunkuyi’s expulsion was reviewed to a six-month suspension, that of Dr Danfulani and Ubale Salmanduna was upheld.
Reacting to the action of the party, Danfulani said the party constitution has no room for a caretaker committee and as such his expulsion from the party is null and void.
He explained that only elected state executive has the legal right to set up a disciplinary committee.
He further explained that the allegation they sat on were already before the court and the Federal High Court, saying their action is a contempt.
Their action is futility and cannot stand.
Meanwhile, the National Publicity Secretary of the party, Kola Ologbondiyan said the issues would be resolved soon.
