…sacked chairman dismisses NWC’s directive, remains in office
The National Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Senator Samuel Anyanwu, has again overruled the National Working Committee’s (NWC) decision to dissolve the Akwa Ibom State Executive Committee of the party.
The party, through its National Publicity Secretary, Honourable Debo Ologunagba, had on Tuesday announced the dissolution of the exco and named a 31-member caretaker committee to oversee the state chapter till further notice.
The caretaker committee, according to the NWC, is chaired by Igwat Umoren.
His Deputy is Harrison Ekpo, while the Secretary of the committee is Borono Bassey.
“The NWC calls on all leaders, critical stakeholders and teeming members of our Party in Akwa Ibom State to remain united and continue to work together for the progress of the Party”, Ologunagba had stated.
However, 24 hours after, Anyanwu addressed a letter on Wednesday to the chairman of the sacked exco, Mr Aniekan Akpan, asking him to ignore the “purported” dissolution of the exco and stay put in office.
“For the purpose of clarity, that press release (by Ologunagba) should be discountenanced because there was no formal sitting of the National Working Committee (NWC) in which such decision was taken”, the National Secretary stated.
Anyanwu, who further declared the purported dissolution as “null and void and of no effect”, said Ologunagba, as the National Publicity Secretary of the party, had no powers to take any actions on behalf of the NWC, except when expressly directed to do so.
“The State Committee of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Akwa Ibom State stands undissolved.
“Please, consider this letter as the rightful authority for you to continue in your duties as provided in the PDP Constitution, 2017 as amended”, he further directed the sacked chairman.
In Uyo, Akpan too has refused to comply with the directive of the NWC, describing it as “false”, as he remains the state chairman.
“We have it on good authority that the National Working Committee (NWC) of the party that claimed to have dissolved the state executive council did not convene any formal meeting to take such a decision.
“The National Secretary of the party, Samuel Anyanwu, has issued a press release and conveyed a letter to us showing that there was no such meeting and affirming that no formal NWC meeting was held to dissolve the state executives of the party in Akwa Ibom”, he told journalists.
Tribune Online reports that the scenario playing out is a repeat of what happened last week when the National Chairman, Ambassador Umar Damagum, wrote the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) notifying it of the decision of the NWC to postpone state congresses in Cross River, Plateau and Kebbi States to a new date after due consultations.
Anyanwu also immediately wrote to the INEC urging the commission to ignore Damagum’s letter because the congresses scheduled for Saturday, September 27, would be held.
The congress was indeed held in Cross River, returning Mr Venatius Ikem as the state chairman, though on Monday, September 28, the NWC disowned the congress, calling it a “carnival.”
Findings showed that the PDP moved to reposition the party in Akwa Ibom, following the defection of Governor Umo Eno to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), in an a bid to cut ties between him and the state exco.
But Akpan, not willing to let go and now backed by some influential party leaders in Abuja, is staying put in office.
Before now, Governor Eno, in a leaked video, had spoken of his intention to work with both the structures of the PDP and the APC in the state for the unity of the state.
“As a matter of fact, contrary to some insinuations, I want to run both parties (APC and PDP)? Far from it. And what is wrong with being interested? We would not leave the PDP for thieves to hijack and use it against us.
“If anybody thinks we are going to do that, they have something coming. We will lead the structure of the party (PDP) so that they can work together (with APC). So that people don’t come from outside and think that Mr Eno has moved, let me come and hijack the party. Let the structure of the party remain.
“They have done their congresses. That’s my position,” the governor had revealed.
