- Party picks new boss this week
From Taiwo Amodu & Water Ukaegbu, Abuja
AHEAD of the meetings of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) statutory organs this week, to install a substantive national chairman, Ahmed Gulak, ex-President Goodluck Jonathan’s adviser, has vowed to resist any move that could jeopardize his claim to the office.
Justice Hussein Buba of the Federal High Court in Abuja, following a suit instituted by Gulak had on December 15, 2015 asked the Acting National Chairman, Uche Secondus, to vacate the office within 14 days while also directing the North- East to produce a replacement for the former chairman and ex- Bauchi State governor, Adamu Mu’azu, who resigned last May.
But Gulak had since proclaimed himself the national chairman, claiming that the same judgment of Justice Buba which directed Secondus to vacate the office equally empowered him (Gulak) to assume the seat after 14 days.
Speaking with Daily Sun exclusively, Gulak insisted that any decision taken by the national caucus, Board of Trustees (BoT) and National Executive Committee (NEC) on the office of national chairman would be null and void as well as a contravention of the judgment of Justice Buba.
Gulak, the former presidential Adviser on Political Matters, noted that the 14 days window given to the North-East to produce a replacement for Mu’azu had since elapsed.
“The party must have leaders, new managers if we want to pick up the pieces and begin to rebuild the party towards 2019. But with what is happening, my fear is that there is mass exodus from the party, people are leaving because they are losing confidence in the managers of this party and they are urging me on to continue.
“If by the end of February or March, this issue isn’t resolved in accordance with the law and the judgment of the court, I am sorry, this party will become an empty shell.”
Gulak, who said none of the PDP governors in the North-East was backing him in his struggle to lead the main opposition party, further accused the Gombe State Governor Ibrahim Dankwabbo and his Taraba state counterpart, Darius Ishaku of indifference to the breach of the party’s constitution by the Secondus-led National Working Committee (NWC).
“My fight and my struggle isn’t about my individual ambition. Where were the governors since May 2015 when they knew that the North-East has a slot to replace Mu’azu?
“Where were the governors when we went to plead with
NWC to allow north-east fill the vacancy? Where were the governors when I decided to take this fight to the court? “Where were the governors when I got judgment? I don’t want to join issues with any governor because they are elected officials, but they are abdicating from their duties as leaders. They ought to have called this meeting since! For eight months, this crisis wouldn’t have reached this stage.
“Where were they when Gulak took it upon himself, went to court to make sure that the North-east must have the slot? Where were they when Gulak got the judgment? Gulak, who is former Adamawa State governorship aspirant, also faulted the earlier stance of the PDP Governors’ Forum asking Secondus to vacate the office for the National Secretary, Prof. Wale Oladipo. “What is the law saying? What is the judgment saying? The judgment has already asked Secondus to leave office, so he cannot act as national chairman. “The governors also cannot put something on nothing and expect it to stand. You cannot cure illegality with illegality. They ought to know that but I am sure they were misadvised. The way forward is to allow Gulak serve out Muazu’s tenure and conduct a free, fair and credible congresses, leading up to the national convention, where a chairman will emerge through democratic process.”
Meanwhile, former governor of defunct Gongola State, Amb. Wilberforce Juta, is gathering support for the PDP’s exalted position. Juta was backed by the top members including BoT executives during a meeting held at Transcorp Hilton Hotel, Abuja.
A source said history, experience, transparency and integrity, among others, set the founding members of the party apart from the other candidates.
“Juta is the only candidate that has proper knowledge of the PDP as a member of the G- 34, former North –East Zonal Vice Chairman and a long – standing BoT membeship, having never left PDP for any reason what – so ever.”
Adamawa State chapter of PDP last week threw its weight behind Juta and distanced itself from Gulak.
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