Fresh crisis hits PDP over suspension of Elumelu, others

Fresh crisis is at verge of hitting the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) over the election and appointment of respective presiding and principal officers of the National Assembly in the House of Representatives.

Ironically, the PDP which had consistently argued and blasted the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) that the election and appointment of presiding and principal officers of the National Assembly is the exclusive responsibilities of the federal lawmakers, last Friday suspended Ndudi Elumelu, House of Representatives Minority Leader, representing Aniocha/Oshimili Federal Constituency, Delta State in the National Assembly on his appointment as Minority Leader contrary to the PDP nominee, Hon. Chinda from rivers State. The party also announced the suspension of six other PDP members of the House of Representatives.

National Dailylearned that the PDP National Publicity Secretary, Kola Ologbondiyan, at a media briefing in Abuja on Friday, explained that the suspension of the lawmakers was one of the resolutions at the meeting of the PDP National Working Committee (NWC) on the controversies over appointment of the Minority Leader of the House of Representatives by the Speaker, Rt. Hon, Femi Gbajabiamila, on July 11 when the ninth National Assembly was inaugurated.

National Dailygathered that other lawmakers suspended by the PDP leadership include Wole Oke, representing Oriade/Obokun Federal Constituency of Osun State; Lynda Ikpeazu, representing Onitsha North and Onitsha South Federal constituency, Anambra State; Anayo Edwin, representing Ezza North/Ishielu federal constituency; Gideon Gwani, representing Kaura Federal Constituency, Kaduna State; Toby Okechukwu, representing Aninri/Awgu/Oji River Federal Constituency, Enugu State, and Adekoya Abdul-Majid, representing Ijebu-North/Ijebu-East/Ogun Waterside Federal Constituency.

National Daily,however, gathered that the legislators ignored the invitation to appear before the PDP NWC on Friday. The affected lawmakers have protested their suspension.

The suspension, National Daily further gathered, has been generating ill-feelings among some PDP governors who may respond in ways that could destabilize the party in the post-2019 general elections era.

However, National Daily learned that the PDP Board of Trustees (BoT) has promised to intervene in the matter to forestall deep conflicts in the party.