Disquiet over PDP Govs communique in Port Harcourt

There was sudden outburst of disquiet immediately the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Governors Forum issued a communique after the meeting of the governors in Port Harcourt, Rivers State no Monday. A member of the PDP questioned the statement of the governors when a suit is pending in the court of law over the party’s national leadership and the recent national convention.

Umar Sani, former Media Adviser to a former Vice President, in a counter statement protested that communique supposedly issued by  the  PDP Governor’s Forum at a   Meeting  in  Port Harcourt, Rivers  State, on Monday,   January 17th , 2022 contained a misleading  and deceptive statement intended to misdirect and prejudice the minds of discerning and genuine party members and the Justices of the Supreme Court that all is well within the party; that the illegal and illicit actions leading to the convening of an unconstitutional national convention through  underhand dealings which denied its rightful National Chairman the powers to exercise his mandate freely given to him by the National delegates of the party at the Dec 2017 National Convention is justified.

Umar Sani challenged certain parts of the statement. According to Sani, excerpts from the contents of the communique  reads thus:

“The PDP Governors congratulated the entire PDP family for conducting a smooth and credible National Convention that led to the emergence of the highly acclaimed Senator Dr. Iyorchia Ayu-led National Executive Committee and commended the new PDP NWC for hitting the ground running with respect to repositioning the PDP into a credible vehicle for RESCUING and REBUILDING Nigeria …”.

Sani argued that “at this time that the matter is billed for adjudication by the apex court, it is foolhardy for an unconstitutional body to convene and rain accolades on themselves and a few accomplices that assisted in truncating  a credible internal democracy.”

He maintained that highly influential stakeholders with large following like Dr. Rabi’u Musa Kwankwaso and a silent majority are awaiting the outcome of the judicial trial to chart their political future. “Therefore, for a pressure group to make bogus claims of having conducted a “smooth and credible” national convention is indeed a heresy.”

Sanu asserted that it is a known fact that the entire exercise was characterized by flagrant violation of the party’s constitution which has resulted in several litigation. “How does a political party that hopes to reclaim power from an aggressive opponent like the APC build its foundation on nothing? Unless the party build its foundation on the rule of law and natural justice, it’s aspiration may be encumbered,” he declared.

Sami maintained that the issue as to the credibility or otherwise of the purported national convention is before the highest court of the land for determination, saying, “therefore, it will be reckless and  amount to a  political subterfuge to  copiously craft and disseminate a deceptive communique which seeks to breathe life to a dead action. Such an action cannot deter the cause and course of justice.”