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Akinwande Soji-Ojo
In a bid to reconcile the waring factions in the main opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), the National Working Committee (NWC) under the leadership of the acting Chairman, Ambassador Umar Damagum, has reversed the suspension of some leaders of the party.
The National Publicity Secretary of the party, Debo Ologunagba, disclosed this at the end of the NWC meeting held at the national secretariat of the party, on Thursday.
He gave the names of those whose suspension were reversed as former Governors Ibrahim Shema (Katsina State) and Ayodele Fayose (Ekiti State).
Others are former Senate President, Anyim Pius Anyim (Ebonyi State), Prof. Dennis Ityavyar (Benue State) and Dr. Aslam Aliyu (Zamfara State).
The NWC also reversed the referral of Benue State governor, Samuel Ortom, to the national disciplinary committee by the Dr Iyorchia Ayu-led NWC.
The move, according to Ologunagba, followed an extensive discussion about the recent developments in the party and the fact that the “NWC recognised the imperativeness of a total reconciliation among party leaders and critical stakeholders for a more cohesive party in the overall interest of our teeming members and Nigerians in general.”
Ologunagba said the decision of the Damagum-led NWC is “without prejudice to the powers of the NWC to take necessary disciplinary action against any member of the party at any time pursuant to the provisions of the Constitution of the PDP (as amended in 2017).”
“The NWC charges all leaders, critical stakeholders and teeming members of our party across the country to be guided by the provisions of the PDP Constitution (as amended in 2017) as well as the new spirit and necessity of reconciliation, unity and harmony in our party at this critical time.
“The PDP must remain focused as we continue to take every necessary action to recover the stolen mandate freely given by Nigerians to our party and presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, on Saturday February 25, 2023, at the Presidential Election Petition Tribunal,” he added.
