As the disaster inside the Peoples Democratic Social gathering festers, stakeholders of the social gathering have differed on the legality of its present Board of Trustees.
Whereas some members of the social gathering questioned the rationale behind the conferences held by the management of the PDP BoT, whose tenure is alleged to have expired, others argued that there was nothing unsuitable if the present members determined to carry the forte and management a few of the affairs of the social gathering because it was at present in disaster.
Sunday PUNCH learnt that 85 of the 127 members of the BoT had been absent from the board’s actions.
It was gathered that the BoT of the primary opposition social gathering within the nation held conferences and took choices with out forming a quorum, a growth some members mentioned was not according to the PDP structure.
A senior member of the PDP Nationwide Working Committee, who spoke on situation of anonymity because of lack of authorisation to touch upon the difficulty, mentioned 42 statutory members shouldn’t make choices on behalf of the BoT.
The supply additionally said that the Senator Adolphus Wabara-led BoT couldn’t make choices for the social gathering because the board didn’t have the quorum required to take action.
PDP struggles
The PDP has been battling critical inner points earlier than and after the 2023 basic elections, resulting in ongoing instability and continued division amongst its members.
Umar Damagum, the appearing Nationwide Chairman of the PDP, has confronted mounting criticism from social gathering members, lots of whom blame him for the social gathering’s continued troubles, significantly after he changed Iyorchia Ayu.
The disaster inside the PDP has been additional exacerbated by a dispute over the Nationwide Secretary place. In 2023, the South-East zone of the social gathering nominated the previous Nationwide Youth Chief, Sunday Ude-Okoye, to switch Senator Samuel Anyanwu, who was chosen because the social gathering’s candidate for the Imo State governorship election.
This nomination sparked additional battle inside the social gathering, with some factions calling for Anyanwu to step down because of his new political commitments.
On December 20, 2024, the Enchantment Court docket in Enugu dominated in favour of Ude-Okoye, confirming him as the brand new Nationwide Secretary. This resolution was communicated to the social gathering management on December 24.
Nevertheless, the management disaster persevered as stress over the Nationwide Secretary place continued to rise inside the social gathering.
The scenario intensified on January 28 when Anyanwu’s supporters forcibly eliminated Ude-Okoye from a BoT assembly, prompting safety forces to intervene and restore order.
In response, PDP governors, led by the Bauchi State Governor, Bala Mohammed, supported the Court docket of Enchantment’s resolution and urged the Nationwide Working Committee to implement the ruling.
In the meantime, Anyanwu, in his petition to the Inspector Common of Police, the Supreme Court docket, and the Enchantment Court docket, on February 1, maintained that he was nonetheless the rightful PDP Nationwide Secretary, describing the endorsement of Ude-Okoye by the social gathering’s governors as an motion that might solely worsen the disaster and referred to as for his or her intervention.
Final week, Wabara, main the BoT, additionally endorsed Ude-Okoye, stating that the choice was made after an intensive assessment of all the problems and paperwork offered by each Ude-Okoye and Anyanwu.
In an unique interview with Sunday PUNCH, Anyanwu had described the BoT’s backing of Ude-Okoye as unlucky, stating that he remained the Nationwide Secretary, as confirmed by the keep of execution granted by the Enchantment Court docket.
He said, “The tenure of most members of the BoT, together with Wabara, has expired, and nominees from most states are ready to be sworn in. So, they don’t have the authorized proper to make such calls for. You possibly can’t construct one thing on nothing.”
Supporting Anyanwu’s place, the supply knowledgeable Sunday PUNCH that the BoT was made up of 127 members, together with 67 statutory members, 37 from the states and the Federal Capital Territory, and 30 from the six geopolitical zones.
He said, “What Wabara is doing within the title of the BoT since October 2024 is prohibited as a result of they don’t have constitutional backing to take action. They don’t seem to be supposed to satisfy as BoT members to make any choices, as a result of any choices they make are null and void.”
He added that about 12 states had submitted their nominees for the BoT, including that they (states) have been ready for the opposite states.
The supply famous that zonal nominations would happen subsequent month after the zonal congresses, insisting that “there isn’t any functioning BoT within the PDP.”
“They can’t determine, recommend, or suggest something as a result of they don’t have a quorum to take action. As a matter of truth, all conferences held since October are unlawful.”
An investigation by our correspondent confirmed what the supply and Anyanwu said relating to the BoT.
The PDP Structure 2017, as amended, reveals that Wabara’s present conferences lack the required quorum.
On conferences, Part 32(10 – 11) of the structure states, “The quorum of the Board of Trustees shall be two-third of its members drawn from at the least two-third of the states within the federation and easy majority shall cross any movement.”
Our correspondent’s makes an attempt to achieve the PDP Nationwide Publicity Secretary, Debo Ologunagba; appearing Nationwide Chairman, Umar Damagum; BoT Chairman, Wabara; Secretary, and former Kaduna State governor, Ahmed Makarfi, have been unsuccessful, as they neither answered their calls nor responded to messages.
Reacting, the PDP Deputy Nationwide Youth Chief, Timothy Osadolor, criticised Wabara, stating that they need to check with themselves as social gathering elders, not BoT members.
Talking to Sunday PUNCH, Osadolor declared that every one conferences and choices made by Wabara’s BoT have been invalid.
He said, “Over 70 per cent of the present BoT members’ tenures have lengthy expired, and almost 15 of them are already dealing with bodily well being challenges. Subsequently, the BoT isn’t at present correctly constituted and doesn’t have the required numbers to type a quorum to take a seat, tackle, or communicate on any points.
“Now, Wabara, understanding that the BoT he presides over is merely a shell in title and lacks substance, goes forward with all these conferences throughout the nation which appear to purpose just for his private aggrandisement, moderately than the betterment of the social gathering.
“Within the title of God and every thing that’s price integrity, they need to not check with themselves as members of the BoT. Their tenures have expired. They’re PDP elders.”
We will’t simply watch – BoT member
In response, a BoT member and former Nationwide Secretary, Senator Umar Ibrahim-Tsauri, confirmed that the tenures of many of the board members had expired.
Tsauri, nonetheless, accused these criticising the BoT of being unfair, stating that the social gathering was dealing with important challenges and required help.
“It’s true that the tenures of a few of the BOT members have expired. However because of the unhappy, unlucky, and avoidable scenario the social gathering is experiencing, the board determined to depend on part 32 (6) of the social gathering’s structure which supplies it the ability to manage its proceedings.
“It needs to be famous that the board has already instructed all state and zonal government committees to convey their nominations to switch these whose tenure has expired.
The PDP is in a deep problem brought on by an inner disaster. So, it’s not a shock that individuals proceed to herald one thing unwarranted, unimportant, and never helpful to the progress and stability of the social gathering.
“You don’t count on the BoT members to take a seat down and act illegally with their experiences. All of the members have earned a fame through the years. How do you count on them to knowingly commit an act that shall be considered null and void? Keep in mind they’re all elder statesmen. In truth, a few of them are even Senior Advocates of Nigeria,” Ibrahim-Tsauri mentioned.
