Tension in PDP over deepening cracks, State Chairmen demand immediate replacement of resigning national officers

The cracks in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) have continued to deepen in the party causing various organs of the PDP structures across the country to panic over the consequences of any unresolved conflict. PDP State Chairmen under the aegis of the Forum of PDP State Chairmen had on Tuesday demanded the National Working Committee (NWC) of the party in Abuja to urgently appoint new officers from the various states to replace the national officers who resigned from the NWC on Tuesday.

The Forum of PDP State Chairmen responding to the reported resignations of some National Officers of the party on  Tuesday, indicated that after a careful study and analysis of the situation, including consultations among members, the state chairmen acknowledged that it is the right of any member to resign his/her office if he/she so wishes.

The PDP Forum of State Chairmen was, however, silent on the vote-of-no-confidence passed on the National Chairman of the Party, Prince Uche Secondus, and the PDP National Working Committee (NWC) by the seven NWC members who resigned their offices on Tuesday. The resigning national officers include the Deputy National Financial Secretary, Deputy National Auditor, Deputy National Women Leader, Hadizat Umoru; Deputy National Publicity Secretary, Diran Odeyemi; Deputy National Legal Adviser, Deputy National Organising Secretary, Hassan Yakubu; and one other officer.

The officers, in their resignation letters, decried lack of confidence in the administration of  the party by the National Working Committee (NWC) led by Uche Secondus.
The PDP State Chairmen Forum, in a statement by Hon Francis O Orogu Nasarawa State PDP Chairman, the Publicity Secretary of the PDP State Chairmen Forum, maintained that   “whatever the grievance one may have, the Party has very strong internal mechanisms for Dispute Resolution and has always practiced same.”
The state chairmen added that moreover, aggrieved members have always been encouraged to take advantage of the conflict resolution mechanisms in the overall interest of the Party and the public at large.
The State Chairmen, therefore,  called on “all those who resigned to have a rethink and embrace dialogue, as an alternative to solving the problems they feel are mitigating against the progress of the Party,” in the overall interest of the PDP.
The State Chairmen declared that “in the event of their inability to have a rethink of their actions, the NWC of the Party should call for an immediate replacement of such Officers from their respective States to ensure a smooth conduct of future Party activities.”
The Forum of State Chairmen further called on the NWC to close ranks and put in place an all-inclusive plan of action for the smooth conduct of the forthcoming National Convention, which is the only legally authorised platform for electing National Officers of the Party.
The Forum also called on all Organs of the Party to engage and interact effectively with each other to bring up a smooth and robust plan of action for the conduct of the next National Convention in a free and fair manner.
The Forum, thereafter, appealed for calm and restraint from all actors to avoid an escalation of the situation.

The Forum acknowledging the interventions of the various PDP Organs and Support Groups, particularly, the NWC, National Caucus, Governors Forum, BoT, NASS Caucus, Former Governors Forum, Former Ministers Forum, among others, expressed optimism that “together they shall overcome all the conflicts.”