PDP Crisis: Disciplinary committee summons Baraje, Oyinlola, others
The invitees said they would shun the invitation.
The National Disciplinary Committee of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, has invited the suspended quartet of Abubakar Baraje, Sam Jaja, Olagunsoye Oyinlola, and Ibrahim Kazaure to appear before it on November 27, by 12 noon at the legacy House Maitama Abuja.
According to the letter of invitation sent to the officials and signed by the committee’s secretary, Onwe Onwe, the officials are expected to be grilled on a number of allegations against them.
According to the letter, Mr. Baraje and the others had on the August 31 at the Special National Convention of the Party at the Eagle Square, Abuja staged a walk-out in a manner contrary to Section 58 (1) (b) (g) and (h) of the Constitution of the party.
It also said Messrs Baraje, Oyinlola and Jaja instituted a suit No. ID/704/2013 on September 2, against the legitimate party leadership at the High Court of Lagos State without first pursuing the internal remedies of the party contrary to Section 58(1) (L) of the Constitution.
Mr. Onwe also said since August 31, Mr. Baraje and his colleagues had granted interviews and made statements in the print and electronic media “not only disparaging the National Chairman and other national leaders of the party, but also unduly publicizing disputes/differences within the party, even in the face of the great restraint demonstrated by the National Chairman and other national leaders against whom their calumny is targeted; this, clearly, contravenes Section 58(1)(i) of the Constitution”.
Mr. Onwe, who is also the Deputy National Secretary of the PDP, added that Mr. Oyinlola had on September 1 and 23 written two letters to INEC requesting the Commission to recognize the four aggrieved persons as members of the National Working Committee of the party, “even in the face of the National Convention held on 24th March, 2012 and 31st August, 2013. This, also clearly, contravenes Section 58(1)(b)(h)(i) and (j) of the Constitution of the Party,” he said.
He added that since August 31, the four men had consistently maintained that they are of the “New PDP (nPDP)” thereby promoting factionalization of the Party, and in doing so, recruiting to their ranks members of the party in the National Assembly contrary to Section 58(1)(b)(i) and (j) of the Constitution.
“In keeping with Section 57(4) of the Peoples Democratic Party Constitution, the National Disciplinary Committee has since informed the affected persons of the allegations,” he said.
The letter of invitation also stated that the four officials might wish to present their cases orally or in writing either in person or through a counsel of their choice and that they may also wish to call witnesses.
The invitees have, however, informed PREMIUM TIMES through the spokesperson of their faction, Chukwuemeka Eze, that they would not honour the invitation.
Responding to our inquiries via text message, Mr. Eze said his faction would not recognise the Umaru Dikko Committee, because, according to him, the committee is not known to the PDP. He said the party’s NEC has not approved it as required by the party’s constitution.
“Any function they are performing on behalf of anybody or group is an exercise in futility, “ he said, adding that “expecting credible leaders like Baraje, Oyinlola, Sam Jaja or any other person to appear before them is to give them the credibility they are yearning for”.
Mr. Eze added that if the Dikko Committee was serious about working, then it should start with the party’s chairman, Bamanga Tukur, over the “blunder and grievous anti party activity they embarked upon during the recent Anambra guber election by selling off PDP and supporting APGA.”
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