Follow Us on Google
From Ndubuisi Orji, Abuja
Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) National chairman, Tanimu Turaki, has said the National Working Committee (NWC) under his leadership has been recognised by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) as the authentic leadership of the opposition party.
Turaki stated this at the presentation of Certificate of Return to the PDP candidate, in the forthcoming Ekiti gubernatorial candidate, Oluwole Oluyede, at the Yar’Adua Centre, Abuja, yesterday.
The PDP, which displayed nomination forms from INEC for the Ekiti governorship polls, challenged any person or group laying claim to the leadership of the party to present their own gubernatorial candidate for the contest with the recognition of the electoral umpire.
“These are INEC forms. The case is to confirm that INEC recognizes what we have done in Ekiti State.The implication of this is that INEC recognizes us. So if INEC is with us, INEC can recognize us; INEC can recognize what we are doing. Who then can be against our leadership? This is it for everybody to see. I will now hand it over to His Excellency the incoming Ekiti State governor.”
The opposition party has been embroiled in crisis over the control of party machinery, with the PDP Governors at loggerheads with the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory ( FCT), Nyesom Wike.
Last month, the immediate past national chairman, Umar Damagum, with the support of the governors held a national convention in Ibadan, Oyo State where a new NWC led by Turaki was elected. The opposition party had at its 101 NEC resolved to hold the convention in the Oyo State capital, before the crisis in the party escalated.
On the flipside, the Wike camp, which dismissed the Ibadan convention as a jamboree, last Sunday, unveiled a caretaker committee, headed by Abdulraham Mohammed, to manage the affairs of the opposition party for 60 days.
However, Turaki, who addressed party leaders, said with the calibre of leaders present at the event, there was no doubt about who is the authentic leader of the PDP.
“All state chairmen of PDP, Nigerians have seen members of the National Assembly of the PDP, Nigerians have seen founding fathers and founding mothers of PDP, Nigerians have seen former governors of PDP, Nigerians have seen former ministers of PDP.
“Indeed, Nigerians have seen the crème de la crème of the People’s Democratic Party. So who else that is something in PDP is not here this afternoon? Absolutely nothing.
“A strong statement has been made this afternoon. For those who are still in doubt as to where the authentic leadership of PDP is, moving forward, you should not be in doubt again. This is PDP. This is where PDP is. And this is where PDP will continue to be.”
In another development, Turaki, at a meeting with PDP state chairmen from across the country, said there was no faction, noting that the NWC under his leadership enjoys the support of 29 state chairmen.
He promised that the NWC under his leadership would return the party to the people, and ultimately regain power in 2027.
“Today, PDP is on a new mission and this new mission is to reclaim Nigeria from the inept APC leadership, a leadership that, instead of taking Nigeria progressively forward, is taking us retrogressively backward.
Other News
“Today, Nigerians are living witnesses that the achievements, the progress that had been made in the 16 PDP glorious years have either been destroyed, shattered, or reversed. And that is why today, whenever Nigerians speak, they beg, they plead: if you cannot take us anywhere further, please take us back to where we were in 2015.
“I say to Nigerians out there that have listened to you: we are not taking you back to where we were in 2015 when we left. We will take over power by the special grace of God in 2027. And thereafter, we will begin the journey to taking Nigeria and Nigerians to the promised land. It is possible, it is doable; we’ve done it before, and we’re going to do it again.
“For me, today is a day of fulfillment. Outside there, some people who claim to be members of our party, but who indeed the whole world knows are not members of our party, claim that they have what they call a faction.
“So, when you look at 29 state chairmen sitting with us, with apologies coming from two, then when you also take into account the fact that there were certain chapters that were dissolved and so do not have leadership constituted presently, which we are planning to do in due course, then tell me, distinguished ladies and gentlemen, who is not here?
“If all the state chairmen are here with us, then who is it that is not with us? If all the state chairmen are supporting us, then who, sincerely speaking, can be fighting us? So this is something for the whole world to see. These are known faces; these are veterans in their right, and they are here physically, not virtually, and they are here in person, not via representation.
“So, as far as PDP is concerned, I think it speaks for itself. People now know where the leadership of PDP is, and people know who the true leaders of the party are, and of course we are the leaders, the genuine bona fide leaders of the people.”
Meanwhile, Senator Abdul Ningi, representing Bauchi central, has said the crisis in the opposition party is not insurmountable, especially as they are man made.
Ningi urged members of the opposition party to remember what they have benefitted from the PDP.
The Bauchi lawmaker, who spoke on behalf of the Senate Minority Leader, Abba Moro, at a meeting between the PDP National Assembly caucus, and the Turaki-led NWC before the parley went into an executive session, expressed optimism that the party has the capacity to resolve its issues.
“We know the issues in the PDP are man-made. What is man-made requires a man-made solution. The problems of the PDP can be resolved. We know what we need to do.
“We have to remember what this party has provided us—a platform—and some of us will not forget that this party provided us with a platform, and that’s why we will make this party our party of choice.
“This is a time when this party needs all loyal party members to come together. We know we have all of them. We know we have a crisis like every other human organization. I am sure we have a lot of things, but we have the capacity to resolve them all.”
On his part, the House of Representatives Minority Whip, Ali Isa, said the House caucus was ready to partner with the Turaki leadership to salvage Nigeria’s democracy.
“We are committed, and we are ready to partner with you to ensure that together we can save Nigerian democracy.; there is no country that can succeed without democracy. And if there is any politician or anybody in the country who feels that intimidation or harassment of other political parties will bring success to him, he is making a mistake.
“In the past, history has shown us and proven that. So we are calling on every Nigerian who is willing and supportive. And I think that this country should survive, the democracy should survive, and should give all its support to the PDP and the working committee to save the country from the situation,” Isa stated.
