PDP chieftains and stakeholders ‘sack’ party chairman, Modu Sheriff

– Jerry Gana, a former minister of information, and other leading members of the PDP announced the takeover of the party from its national chairman, Ali Sheriff

– The group rejected the decision of the PDP National Executive Committee to extend the tenure of Sheriff to May 21, 2016

– According to them, the zoning arrangement announced by the chairman of the “purported” Zoning Committee, Governor of Emmanuel Udom, was unacceptable 

– In a swift reaction, Inuwa Bwala, the spokesperson of the PDP chairman, said that that the Jerry Gana group was out “to cause mischief”

– He also accused Gana and his group of having “personal grudges” with Sheriff

File photo of Ali Modu Sheriff

Crisis rocking the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has taken a new turn as Jerry Gana, a former minister of information, and other leading members announced the takeover of the party from its national chairman, Ali Sheriff.

Premium Times reports that Gana, the leader of the group called “Concerned Stakeholders”, met with party’s leading members on Thursday, May 12, at the Nicon Luxury Hotel in Abuja.

The meeting was co-chaired by Ibrahim Mantu, a former deputy president of the Senate, Tunde Adeniran, a former minister of education, and Raymond Dokpesi, media mogul.

According to a communique released shortly after the meeting, the party leading members rejected the decision of the PDP National Executive Committee (NEC) to extend the tenure of Sheriff to May 21, 2016.

“The purported extension of the tenure of the chairman and other members of the national working committee by the party by the NEC was an illegality and therefore untenable and contrary to the provisions of our party Constitution which gives such powers ONLY to the National Convention of the Party,” the group stressed.

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“All actions purportedly taken by the said NEC and the National Working Committee, including the ward, local government, state congresses and the planned National Convention of the party slated for the 21st of May 2016 in Port Harcourt, Rivers state constitute a nullity and are of no effect,” it added.

According to the group, the zoning arrangement announced by the chairman of the “purported” Zoning Committee, Governor of Emmanuel Udom, was unacceptable because it ran contrary to the PDP’s “established principles and practice”.

“Deriving from all the above and in order to stop further slide into unconstitutional confusion and widespread disenchantment of party members nationwide, We the founding fathers, stakeholders and leaders of the party from all the 6 geopolitical zones hereby announce a 21 member steering committee to manage the affairs of the PDP, and work intimately with our respected members of BOT who are the conscience of the party till such a time that a proper, lawfully organized National Convention of the party, where a new authentic leadership of the party will be duly elected in accordance to the provisions of our party constitution and guidelines,” they said.

Further in its statement, the group revealed that the new steering committee would embark on a nationwide tour to address and resolve all issues, to reconcile all previously aggrieved party members.

READ ALSO: Top PDP chieftains and stakeholders shun congress in Cross River

In a swift reaction, Inuwa Bwala, the spokesperson of the PDP chairman, told journalists in Abuja that the Jerry Gana group was out “to cause mischief”.

“Unfortunately, among such groups are self-styled elders and stakeholders led by Professor Jerry Gana. I have seen him sweating on television, playing with language but at the end of the day saying nothing.

“I want to specifically say we kept sealed lips about some of the activities of this man believing that we could still find a rendezvous at which we could work together for the progress of the PDP. I must say, and there are witnesses that this is one character that attempts to play a role in every government since the time of the military,” he said.

According to the spokesman, the group formed and led by Senator Gana has “personal grudges” with Sheriff.

Bwala revealed that the ex-minister had written to the national chairman to allow him nominate some people into certain committees or allow them perform certain functions for the party.

 

“Whether these requests were granted or not is immaterial. But that is perhaps one of the reasons that he has taken the position against anything this man does. This is the same man that recognized the national chairman, writing to him on the need to submit the report on the finance committee which he headed.

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“The chairman has been running away from receiving that report because it is on record that the same Jerry Gana on behalf of the party without using the machinery of the party collected the sum of N500million loan from Skye bank on behalf of the PDP for which the PDP has been dragged to court and is being compelled to pay back.

“Leaders of thought in this party including some elders have prevailed on the chairman not to make this matter known and to save this man from public embarrassment. But as it is the chairman may be left with no option than to drag Jerry Gana before the EFCC to explain his role in obtaining N500 million facility on behalf of the party and let him also explain what he has done with the money,” he said.

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