……..Rescinds Directive Compelling Ortom To Appear Before Disciplinary Committee.
By Ken Chiwendu
The National Working Committee (NWC) of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has reversed the suspension on some members of the National Executive Committee (NEC) as well as directive to appear before a disciplinary committee.
The decision was taken at its meeting Thursday chaired by Ambassador Umar Iliya Damagum, the Party’s Acting National Chairman.
The party under the embattled ex- National Chairman had last week suspended the former governors of Katsina state, Ibrahim Shema; former governor of Ekiti state, Ayo Fayose; and directed the Benue state governor, Samuel Ortom, to appear before a disciplinary committee.
But in a twist, about 48 hours after Ayu stepped aside following a court order restraining him from parading as National Chairman and Damagum stepped in, the party has rescinded the decisions of the Ayu regime in what it called reconciliation move .
The party in a statement issued by the National Publicity Secretary, Debo Ologunagba, said the NWC recognized the imperativeness of a total reconciliation among Party leaders and critical stakeholders for a more cohesive Party in the overall interest of the teeming members and Nigerians in general.
“Consequent upon the above, the NWC reverses the referral of the Governor of Benue State, His Excellency, Dr. Samuel Ortom to the National Disciplinary Committee.
“The NWC in the same vein reverses the suspension of the following underlisted members of our great Party:
” Ibrahim Shema (Katsina State), Ayodele Fayose (Ekiti State), Sen. Pius Anyim (Ebonyi State), Prof. Dennis Ityavyar (Benue State) and Dr. Aslam Aliyu (Zamfara State)”.
The party’s National Publicity Secretary said that “This decision is without prejudice to the powers of the NWC to take necessary disciplinary action against any member of the Party at any time pursuant to the provisions of the Constitution of the PDP (as amended in 2017).
“The NWC charges all leaders, critical stakeholders and teeming members of our Party across the country to be guided by the provisions of the PDP Constitution (as amended in 2017) as well as the new spirit and necessity of reconciliation, unity and harmony in our Party at this critical time.
“The PDP must remain focused as we continue to take every necessary action to recover the stolen mandate freely given by Nigerians to our Party and Presidential Candidate, Atiku Abubakar, on Saturday February 25, 2023, at the Presidential Election Petition Tribunal.”
