The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) yesterday tackled a founding father of the party and former governor of Jigawa State, Sule Lamido, over his position on the party leadership’s seeming inability to handle the political impasse in Rivers State.
The National Working Committee (NWC) of the PDP stated this after its emergency meeting on Wednesday, where it re-assured all its members, stakeholders and supporters that its interventions particularly with regard to the political development in Rivers State are yielding desired results.
Lamido had lambasted the Amb Umar Iliya Damagum-led NWC for failing to address the crisis in Rivers State and allowing President Bola Tinubu to lead the reconciliation process.
Lamido, in a statement, said, “Do we still have the National Working Committee of the PDP? Or better still, do we have a party called PDP?”
“If we have one of the two, how come their total absence in the saga playing out in the PDP Family in Rivers? Is the docility of the leadership of the PDP so comatose to the extent that President Tinubu of APC, our sworn rival and opponent, is now the grand patriarch of the PDP?
“It is inconceivable that a political party will simply sit back and allow its fortunes to be taken over by a rapacious scavenger, the APC.”
Replying, national publicity secretary of PDP Hon Debo Ologunagba, in a statement, said, “The NWC however expresses serious displeasure over incautious conduct, activities and unguarded utterances by certain leaders who are out to disparage critical Organs of the Party, inflame passions, cause division among members and bring our dear Party to public disrepute for their selfish reasons.
“Of particular reference is the deleterious public statement credited to the former Governor of Jigawa State, His Excellency Sule Lamido, which was made apparently with the intent to inject bad blood and drag down our Party for self-seeking motives.
“The NWC has received very disturbing reports that such unscrupulous individuals are recruited by the One-Party-State seeking APC administration to undermine the cohesion that exists within the PDP which will enable it to effectively perform its opposition role for the sustenance of Democracy and the wellbeing of Nigerians.”
Ologunagba said said it was unfortunate that such inexcusable conducts, comments, utterances and betrayals are coming from individuals who have benefitted immensely from the PDP but “who have the record and notoriety of brazenly betraying the party in various elections and at slightest opportunity for their selfish interests.”
He added that some of the challenges that plagued PDP in the recent past and those confronting it at the moment are traceable to the “comments, utterances and actions of these unpatriotic individuals which are inconsistent with the opportunity that the Party gave them in the past.”
The party spokesman added that the minimum that Nigerians and indeed members of the PDP expect from such leaders is appreciation and commitment to the party and the nation by engaging in constructive suggestions that will be in the interest of the party and Nigerians with regard to good governance.
“These leaders must understand and recognize that their actions and utterances are not only inimical to the wellbeing of Nigerians but also in gross violation of the provisions of the Constitution of the PDP, especially Sections 57, 58 and 59 of the Constitution of the PDP.
“The NWC therefore in very strong terms cautions such leaders to be mindful of their actions, utterances and conducts which are contrary to the provisions of the Constitution of the PDP.
“The NWC, in its responsibility to protect the integrity of our Party from such further unwarranted aggressions, will henceforth not hesitate to take appropriate disciplinary or punitive action against such individuals in line with the provisions of the Constitution of the PDP.
“The NWC charges all members to remain united, alert and focused in resisting the antics of the APC and its agents to destabilize our Party and impose a One-Party system on the nation.
“This is especially at this moment that Nigerians are looking up to the PDP for direction in the quest to sustain democracy and save the nation from sliding into totalitarianism,” the party spokesman noted.
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