According to reports, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) intends to host a mini-convention in January or February to choose new leaders for open seats.
According to Anaedoonline.ng, the positions that are up for grabs are the national chairmanship, which is being held by Dr. Iyorchia Ayu, national secretary, and has been a source of conflict within the party between the NWC, the South East Caucus, and the National Woman Leader since Prof. Stella Effah-Attoe passed away.
It was learned that Ayu, who was contesting his suspension, had been persuaded to drop his legal action.
PDP Crisis: Wike’s Loyalists Insist Mini-Convention Not Only Way To Oust Ayu
Former Senate President Bukola Saraki and Senator Gabriel Suswam, a former governor of Benue State, are two candidates vying to succeed Ayu as party chairman. Ayu is from the North Central, where both of them are from.
Sources claim that Senator Saraki’s recent meeting with Nyesom Wike, the minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), was a part of the strategy to put Saraki in position to become the leader of the party.
Many party elders and leaders, according to sources, believe Saraki has what it takes to get the party out of its current mess.
Suswam employees, however, are reportedly demanding that the party’s chairman stay in Benue so that the state can finish Ayu’s, who is also from the state, term.
2023: Saraki Opens Up On Joining APC, Contesting For Presidency
NWC member Timothy Osadolor stated in an interview with Daily Trust that the standoff over the national secretary post is a constitutional issue.
He added that “it is only when a man takes up an appointment or resumes another office by way of winning election that he automatically stops to function in the NWC. The constitution did not say if you want to contest election, you must resign.”
Osadolor, who is also the Deputy National Youth Leader, said, “Anyanwu did not take up any appointment, he did not win election, if he had won the election, it would be a different thing. The constitution did not say that you must resign if you are going to contest election. If they feel very strongly about their position, there are constitutional ways to go about it.”
2023 Presidency: Bola Tinubu Planning To Lure Four PDP Govs
According to him, “For those in the South East that are saying they have removed him, the position was zoned to the South East and micro-zoned to Imo State, but there is nowhere in the constitution that says a zonal caucus can remove a member of the NEC or NWC: it is alien to our constitution. They might not like Samuel Anyanwu, but the issue is a constitutional matter.”
Follow us on Facebook