PDP Moves against Dissension, Directs States to Set up Disciplinary C'ttees

PDP Chairman, Bamanga Tukur

*Group demands apology from Obasanjo over Nyako's imposition

In a last ditch effort to clamp down on growing dissension within the party, especially from members of its breakaway faction, the New Peoples Democratic Party, (New-PDP) and other erring members within the 36 states of the federation and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), the National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Alhaji Bamanga Tukur, Wednesday directed the setting up of disciplinary committees in all states.
Also, members of the PDP in Adamawa State under the aegis of Save Adamawa State Movement (SASM) have demanded an apology from former President Olusegun Obasanjo for his alleged imposition of Governor Murtala Nyako on the state.

The directives to the 36 states and FCT to set up a states’ disciplinary committee is coming barely one week after the party inaugurated a National Disciplinary Committee headed by the second republic Minister of Transport, Dr. Umaru Dikko.

There have been growing members of the mainstream PDP defecting to the Abubakar Baraje led New PDP. As a result, the police have been having running members with the factional PDP from Gombe, Nasarawa, Bayelsa, Bauchi, Rivers, Kaduna and other states of the federation.

According to a statement signed by the National Publicity Secretary, of the PDP, Olisa Metuh, the party said the directive to set up the states’ disciplinary committees was in line with the letters of the constitution of the party.
The directive to set up a disciplinary committee is not limited to the states and FCT alone, but to the six geopolitical zones, 774 local governments areas and throughout the wards.

PDP, in the statement, said: “In keeping with the focused determination of the national leadership of the (PDP) to ensure discipline and loyalty at all levels, the national chairman, Tukur, has directed the party leaderships at the zones, states, local government areas and wards to establish disciplinary committees in accordance with the provisions of Section 57(1)(2) of the constitution of the party 2012 (as amended).

“The committees are to strictly comply with the provisions of the PDP constitution and the principles of equity and fair hearing in dealing with all disciplinary cases at their various levels.”

Meanwhile, a pro mainstream PDP in Adamawa State with the name, Save Adamawa State Movement (SASM) has demanded for an unreserved apology from Obasanjo for the alleged imposition of Nyako on the state.
SASM in a statement issued by its National Coordinator, Albert Stephen, said Obasanjo had wronged the people of the state by imposing Nyako who is not a politician in the first place.

Berating Nyako for under-performance in the state, SASM said: ''It was his failure to perform that made Obasanjo to remove him as military administrator of Niger State. General Ibrahim Babangida also removed him as Chief of Naval Staff.

"In fact, Babangida had to create the office of Deputy Chief of Defence Staff to enable him ease out Nyako, who was allegedly running down the Navy. As a civilian governor, his record is nothing to write home about.”
Accordingly, the group urged Obasanjo, to as a matter of urgency and utmost necessity, tender a public apology to the people of the state, noting that already, Prof. Jibril Aminu who was part of the conspiracy against the people of the state has since apologised for the misdemeanor and crime against humanity.


SASM further described Obasanjo as a man who has a history of never forgiving anybody who offends him, saying: “Like an elephant, he never forgets. He fooled the North into believing he loves them. But like they say, a leopard does not change its spots.

“In 2007, he imposed am ill Umaru Yar'Adua as president, knowing full well that he would not last the distance. The implication of this, is that the North has been and will most likely be out of power for more than 30 years. This is the punishment for the north for his (Obasanjo) travails in the hands of General Sani Abacha.

“In Adamawa State, he also imposed Governor Nyako on the people due to the alleged misunderstanding he had with his then Vice-president, Atiku Abubakar. Obasanjo reportedly begged Atiku for his support in the 2003 elections.


“The question then is, what did Obasanjo see differently in a man he described as a failure in 1977, that in 2007 he had to impose him on Adamawa State?”