PDP Is Bigger Than Any Individual, Internal Challenges Will Be Fixed, Says Bayelsa Governor Diri
Bayelsa State Governor, Senator Douye Diri, has declared that the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) was bigger than any individual and that its internal challenges would be fixed once members resolved to tackle them. Also, the acting National Chairman of the party, Amb. Umar Ilya Damagum, has insisted that the PDP remained the party of the people and one to beat in the nation’s political firmament. Meanwhile, the embattled national secretary of the PDP, Senator Samuel Anyanwu, has told the National Disciplinary Committee (NDC) led by Chief Tom Ikimi that he won’t be able to appear before it because the petition of alleged anti-party activities against him was prejudiced. But in spite of his letter, the NDC has recommended his Anyanwu from the party. Speaking to journalists at the PDP national secretariat in Abuja after the inauguration of the party’s South-South zonal caretaker committee led by Elder Emma Ogidi, Diri said the political will to confront those fomenting trouble in the party resided with the members and not solely on the leadership. Diri, who is also Chairman of the South-South PDP Governors’ Forum, stated that for the party to be competitive as the oldest in the country, it must look inwards and fix its internal issues. He said, “For me, we have to look inwards before accusing those outside our party. We have to first fix our internal issues. “It is very easy to point fingers. But the PDP has to sit back and tackle its internal challenges. That is only when we can stand to compete with others. “I want the PDP to be competitive with other political parties. We are the oldest political party in Nigeria. So, we have no reason to be accusing outsiders.” On whether the party’s leadership had the political will to discipline those fomenting trouble, Diri averred that such will resided with the members. “We are all members of the party. The moment we all resolve that we need to fix our party, there cannot be any one person that is bigger than the party,” he said. Speaking, too, Damagum said, ”I also want to use this opportunity to tell Nigerians that this party, the PDP, is still the party to beat. A party that has been tested for 27 years, one of the oldest parties. ”All these shenanigans you see around, the APC, the others, have not been more than 10 years old and if you’ve grown up to be up to 27 years and still standing, still counting, then there is no guarantee more than that. ”The PDP is the guarantee for Nigerians to change the course of what is happening today in our country. I also want to use this opportunity to caution our leaders, don’t fear them. ”Nobody is going to change your destiny for you other than yourself. I’ve noticed maybe because of fears, you find sometimes leaders encouraging this present administration at the center. I find it really very disgusting. Let’s tell ourselves the truth. ”So, please and please, let’s be up and doing. Don’t fear anyone. Nigerians belong to all of us. There’s nobody who is a better Nigerian than you are. It’s all an opportunity, but if you put your act together, the path is very bright, we will reach the destination,” he said. Damagum, however, maintained that the party had not conducted its South-South Zonal Elective Congress, despite claims to the contrary. His position contradicted the events of February 22, when the party reportedly held the congress, with the chairman of the electoral committee, Vita Abba, declaring Dan Orbih — an ally of the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike — as the National Vice Chairman for the South-South after securing 174 votes. Wike, who attended the congress in Calabar, insisted that the process was legal and final, declaring that the South-South remained the PDP’s strongest base. He dismissed any plans for a fresh congress, affirming Orbih’s leadership in the zone. The Damagum-led National Working Committee ignored Wike’s stance and, on March 7, appointed Emma Ogidi as Chairman of the Caretaker Committee while setting April 12 as the new date for the zonal congress. Justifying the inauguration of caretaker committee, Damagum said, “As far as the NWC is concerned, the South-South Zonal Congress has not been held. Since their tenure has ended, we are setting up a Caretaker Committee today.” In his acceptance speech, Ogidi said, ”On behalf of the committee, I want to assure you that by the grace of God, we will discharge our duties dispassionately to the glory of God. ”I want to thank everybody present. I will assure you that what is expected of us, we are going to do it. In fact, we are going to listen to the advice of the chairman in his speech. He has charged us and by the grace of God, we will do our best.” Meanwhile, Anyanwu has described what was happening in the party as a proxy war that could not stand. According to him, ”How can they expel me? That cannot stand. I have never heard from them. The last time they met, they adjourned to April 4. So, wherever this one is coming from will not work. ”We are waiting a ruling from the supreme court. The last time we were in court, March 10, the apex court asked us to go and we will be contacted through our lawyers when they are ready. How this? It cannot stand,” he said. The NDC had submitted its first report to the party’s National Working Committee (NWC), recommending Anyanwu’s expulsion. The committee’s report was submitted earlier on Wednesday at the Party’s headquarters in Abuja during the meeting of the party’s NWC presided over by Damagum. The meeting came two days after the Supreme Court dismissed a motion for a stay of execution of a High Court judgment removing Anyanwu from office as National Secretary and replacing him with Sunday Udeh-Okoye. The recommendation for the expulsion followed allegations of gross misconduct, anti-party activities and other infractions bothering on abuse of office, leveled Senator Anyanwu, who has been fighting the party after the Appeal Court sacked him as National Secretary of the PDP.
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