PDP Bans Nnamani’s Reform Group

Written by This Day Saturday, 19 June 2010

The National Executive Committee of the Peoples Democratic Party yesterday in Abuja nailed the coffin on the Senator Ken Nnamani-led PDP Reform Group by imposing an immediate ban on the group and its activities.

By another resolution reached at the meeting, former Bayelsa State governor, Chief Diepreye Alamieyeseigha was readmitted into the party, five years after he was expelled by the NEC.Nnamani, a former senate president, as well as many members of the group were not in attendance at yesterday’s meeting where the resolution was taken.

Members of the group had earlier been suspended by the National Working Committee of the party, but the decision was rescinded following the intervention of President Goodluck Jonathan.

The decision to ban the group at the meeting was taken after former Speaker of the House of Representatives, Aminu Bello Masari, a key member of the group, “could not seize the moment to profoundly articulate the group’s proposals for reform.”
Sources said, Masari, rather than address the issues, went personal, “accusing the party and its leadership of showing hatred towards the group and its members.

“He was in the process shouted down at the meeting and some of the governors present, particularly Rotimi Amaechi of Rivers State, were said to have dismissed the Reform Forum as a group of idle politicians,” the source said.
Although it was also learnt that the national caucus of the party had directed the NWC to peruse the proposals of the Reform Group and identify the ones acceptable to it and which can be adopted to stabilize the party for the consideration of NEC, the NWC did not carry out the directive.

Consequently, since there was no proposal presented to it from the Reform Forum, the NEC resolved to come down hard on the group, saying that the existence of the group within the party created the impression there was a faction within the party contrary to the provisions of the party’s constitution.

The PDP NEC, according to a statement issued yesterday on the resolutions at the meeting signed by its National Publicity Secretary, Professor Rufai Ahmed Alkali, observed that: “Article 21 (j) discourages the existence of factions or members belonging to any group under the guise of the party by whatever name called not being one provided for in the PDP constitution.

“Accordingly, NEC resolved that the so-called PDP Reform Forum stands dissolved and held that all members of the party are free to submit proposals for the amendment of the constitution but not under the name of any forum unknown to the constitution which clearly forbids members from forming factions under whatever name.”

According to the party, “NEC observed that as provided in Article 26 of the PDP constitution, each and every member of the party has the right to make or submit proposals for the amendment of any section of the PDP constitution.”

The readmission of Alamieyeseigha into the PDP was another high point of the PDP NEC meeting.President Goodluck Jonathan, who was deputy governor to Alamieyeseigha and who took over from him when he (Alamieyeseigha) was impeached by the State House of Assembly, attended yesterday’s meeting.

Alamieyeseigha, who reportedly fell out with the administration of former President Olusegun Obasanjo, was arraigned by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission for money laundering and other sundry offences after his impeachment. He was subsequently found guilty and sentenced by a law court.

He was set free after his sentence was commuted as a result of the plea bargain he entered into with the state, which saw him return a number of assets to the Bayelsa State Government.
The PDP NEC resolution released to the press yesterday in Abuja indicated that Alamieyeseigha had applied to the party for re-admission.

The PDP NEC stated in the resolution readmitting the former Bayelsa State governor: “In view of his application to be readmitted into the party, and having fulfilled the conditions set out in article 10 (iii) of the constitution of the party, NEC accordingly approved his readmission into the party.”

The party said the NEC also considered requests for waivers from the Zamfara State governor, Mahmuda Aliyu Shinkafi and his Bauchi State counterpart, Isa Yuguda who defected from the All Nigeria Peoples Party to the PDP.
“In compliance with article 12 (72) g of our party constitution, NEC unanimously approved the waivers for the above mentioned officers to enable them fulfil constitutional requirements to participate in all party activities for the forthcoming general elections.”

In respect of Yuguda, the party stated: “NEC also considered requests for waivers from his Excellency, the Governor of Bauchi State, Mallam Isa Yuguda, his Deputy, Hon. Babayo Garba Gamawa, the Secretary to the State Government of Bauchi State, Alhaji Ahmed Ibrahim Dandija, the Speaker of the House of Assembly, Hon. Abubakar Fago, two members of the House of Representatives from the state, and 14 members of the Bauchi State House of Assembly.

“This request was also unanimously endorsed by NEC in line with the provisions of the party’s constitution.”
The NEC meeting, at which the request for a waiver from the South-east zone for the new national chairman, Dr. Okwesilieze Nwodo was considered and approved, also endorsed the proposals for the amendment of the party constitution.

The party said: “NEC also endorsed the proposals for the amendment of the PDP constitution as approved by NEC at its 50th meeting held on April 27th 2010 and accordingly, NEC resolved that the proposals should be presented to the National Convention for ratification.”

The NEC meeting, the party further said, passed a vote of confidence on the President Jonathan presidency and congratulated him on his assumption of office, adding that it also commended the National Assembly for the speedy confirmation of Mohammed Namadi Sambo as the vice president.
The party NEC resolved to pledge its unalloyed loyalty to the president and commended him for the policy direction of his government.