Plateau PDP crisis deepens as group kicked against caretaker

Plateau PDP crisis deepens as group kicked against caretaker

By Daniel Kura.

The leadership tussle of the Plateau State chapter of the People's Democratic Party (PDP) is far from coming to an end, this is coming as a result of group under the auspices of Plateau PDP Youths Elites kicked against it's national working committee's discission to set up caretaker committee to pilot the affairs of the State pending when the State Congress will be conducted. 

The group with a petition title ''CARETAKER OR UNDERTAKERS'' vehemently rejected the national body's idea of setting up a caretaker committee on the Plateau and its read as follows. 

Recently, some social media influencers rightly decried that the Plateau PDP “…suffered her worst nightmares in the 2015 and 2019 general elections” and that “…people are tired and complaining.” The Hon Choco-led immediate past state EXCO don’t seem to realize it. The past PRO John Akans issued a statement acknowledging that, “our tenure as elected executives ended yesterday 10th May 2020” but claimed that they have transmuted into a caretaker committee. End of tenure is fatal, it’s like a dead ass, no amount of medicine can bring it back to life. Anything done by the Choco-led EXCO after the end of their tenure is illegal, inconsequential, null and void.

Akans did not claim anywhere in the statement that the NWC or any National Officer inaugurated them as caretaker even if on WhatsApp as they have so disingenuously tried to do with the Wards and LG EXCO in clear violation of Section 65 of the PDP constitution 2017. How can they become Caretaker EXCO without taking any oath of office? Even as substantive EXCO, they did their worse under oath, imagine the damage will they do without taking any oath. 

They polarized PDP into two factions, they did not conduct credible and transparent congresses. They deceived future aspirants and collected money with which they bought nominations forms in bulk. In order to eliminate perceived opponents, they shared the forms only to themselves and their cronies. They took over the function of the LG Working Committees by directly constituting the Ward Congresses Committees. 

Even after forcing interested party faithful to run to Abuja to buy nomination forms, they still disqualified targeted opponents over administrative charges, they collected their money but denied them receipts. Results were concocted for congresses that were never held hence over 100 petitions and court cases. Without attempting to address these serious problems, they started screening aspirants for State Congress in a hotel without any prior announcements. 

According to them, “As the past EXCO… we are very much aware of complaints/petitions in some wards and LGA's”, meaning they knew about the complains but did nothing about it. They are now saying, “These issues will be viewed holistically in the spirit of fairness, justice, peace and reconciliation.” Where was the spirit of fairness, justice and reconciliation throughout their 4-year tenure especially in the last congresses? If they were not fair in 4 years, how can they be fair 3 months? Can they give what they don’t have? How can they solve the problems they deliberately created? For appointing APC flag bearers as caretaker committee in 4 LGAs, they rightly condemned Lalong as a dictator. As contestants who must become Caretakers, are they becoming dictators too? 

The Guidelines for Congresses & National Convention 2020 says, “Any officer HOLDING any EXCO office at any level of the party needs not to resign to re-contest the same party office, but MUST COMPLY with section 47(1) of the party constitution”, which says “All National, Zonal, State, LGA and Ward Officers of the party, shall hold office for a term of 4 years and shall be eligible for re-election at …for another term of four years AND NO MORE.” This constitutional provisions applies to incumbents only not past EXCO. Either they become Caretaker without re-contesting or they can re-contest but not as Caretaker. They can’t eat their cake and have it; they can’t be judges in their own court.

Akans referred to, sections 29(2)(b) which says the NWC can act “In case of emergency, act on behalf of the NEC SUBJECT TO RATIFICATION by NEC…” and 31(2)(e) “where necessary, dissolve a State EXCO and appoint a Care-Taker Committee to run the party until another EXCO is elected.” The party Constitution doesn’t say the immediate past EXCO can become a Caretaker, it is against natural justice esp if they are re-contesting. Besides, recall the Press Statement by Wadata Plaza to “shutdown activities at our secretariats and offices across the country, the party has further resolved to suspend all activities bordering on congresses, rallies and other large gathering of members of our party across the federation, with effect from Tuesday, March 24, 2020.” 

When did the NWC converge against its own instructions? Even if they did, has the NEC ratified NWC decisions as constitutionally required? If the Nat. Chm Prince Secondus presided over the NWC, why is he being copied his own communication again? Why is the National Org Sec always signing the letters going to Plateau State not the Nat. Sec? All that matters to them right now is to remain in office as Caretaker (or better still Undertakers), they don’t care if PDP wins Plateau in 2023. True lovers of Plateau PDP must rise up and save the party or we suffer the disaster of 2015 and 2019 in 2023 again. God forbid! 

Plateau PDP Youths Elites