Why Wike, G5 Governors Escaped PDP Suspension

Fresh facts have emerged about what transpired during the National Working Committee (NWC) meeting of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, which culminated in the suspension of some National Assembly candidates with the notable exculsion of Governor Nyesom Wike and his allies among the G5.

Senator Chimaroke Nnamani,   former Governor Ayo Fayose’s son, Oluwajomiloju, and other candidates of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Enugu, Imo and Ekiti States were among those suspended, Sunday Vanguard reports.

The NWC also dissolved the Ekiti State Executive Committee which was populated by Fayose’s loyalists.

It also emerged why G5 Governors – Nyesom Wike (Rivers), Seyi Makinde (Oyo), Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi (Enugu), Okezie Ikpeazu (Abia) and Samuel Ortom (Benue) – who have been campaigning against their party’s presidential candidate, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar – after Atiku rejected their demand to remove the PDP Chairman, Dr. Iyorchia Ayu, escaped the hammer.

They had accused Ayu of siding with Atiku during the presidential primary of the PDP which the latter won, beating Wike to the second position.

Sunday Vanguard gathered in Abuja, yesterday, that with the suspension, the affected candidates, most of whom are contesting the National Assembly elections next month, risk losing their right to contest the February and March polls.

Chapter 10 of the Constitution of the PDP (As amended in 2017) states in Section 57 (3): “The Working Committee at any level of the party, and the Executive Committee (at the Ward Level) may, after preliminary hearings, suspend a member from the party for a period not exceeding one month, during which period the member so suspended shall lose his right to contest any election, and shall be referred to the appropriate Disciplinary Committee.”

It was learnt that the PDP NWC, which met on Friday, wasted no time in arriving at a decision when each case was tabled for discussion.

A source familiar with what transpired said, “It wasn’t a meeting that took so much time because the issues were straightforward.

“Take the case of Senator Nnamani for example, he has not only been fraternizing with Asiwaju Tinubu the presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress, he has also been campaigning for him and destabilizing our party in Enugu.

“Nnamani, who is seeking re-election into the Senate, has been at it despite several appeals to party members to abide by our rules.

“In Ekiti, of our three senatorial candidates, only Senator Biodun Olujimi, who has remained loyal to the party despite several challenges, was spared from suspension,” the source said.

“Fayose’s son and other House of Representatives candidates in Ekiti were equally suspended for various acts of anti-party activities, all of them have been hobnobbing with the opposition and took it a step further by absenting themselves from our rallies in the state and in the South-West without justifiable reasons.

“The chap from Imo was caught in the web of working against our party’s collective interest.”

Another party source, however, explained that the suspension was not final, noting that the affected persons still have an opportunity to explain themselves before a disciplinary panel which, if satisfied with their explanations, may recommend it’s lifting.

The source said, “The NWC decision in this matter is not yet final. The suspended members can still appear before the disciplinary committee to state their cases.

“In any case, if they appear and show remorse, chances are that they’ll be forgiven. We are a party of laws and due process that is why it appears to some that we are slow in taking action on such infractions.”

Asked if the matter of the G-5 governors was discussed, the source simply said “No”. He explained that “despite all of their antics, they have consistently announced their membership and loyalty to the party. None of them has been engaged in an open and direct campaign for our opponents” the source told Sunday Vanguard in explaining why Wike and the G5 governors were not affected by the PDP suspension.

“You are also aware that none of them has denied us the use of facilities in their states for our campaigns, it shows that though we are quarrelling like is normal in most families, we are still members of the same family.”

Recall, the PDP NWC announced the suspension of Nnamani and a host of other party candidates and the dissolution of the Ekiti State Executive for actions bordering on anti-party activities, a decision Wike has vowed to oppose.

The NWC’s decisions were contained in two separate statements signed by the PDP National Publicity Secretary, Hon. Debo Ologunagba, in Abuja, late Friday.

Source: Vanguard

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