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<\/a>\u00a0<\/b>PEOPLES Democratic Party (PDP), <\/b>Africa\u2019s largest political party in Nigeria is presently in crisis. And senior members of the party led by Atiku Abubakar, former Nigeria\u2019s Vice President and Alhaji Kuwa Baraje, a former National Chairman of this same party are championing various crusades against Bamanga Tukur, incumbent national chairman of PDP. After the 7 Governors of PDP (6 Northern and 1 South-South) walked out of the party convention on August 31, 2013 at Eagle Square, Abuja, the party has known no peace.<\/p>\nThe governors\u00a0 are\u00a0 Sule Lamido(Jigawa);\u00a0\u00a0 Aliyu Wamakko (Sokoto);\u00a0\u00a0 Rabiu Kwakwanso (Kano);\u00a0 Aliyu Babangida (Niger);\u00a0 and\u00a0\u00a0 Abdulfatah Ahmed(Kwara) and Rotimi Amaechi (Rivers).<\/p>\n
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Parallel PDP Writes Naija Standard American Editors<\/b><\/p>\n
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In a letter sent to Naija Standard<\/i>,<\/b> <\/b>New PDP National Executive Committee chairman Baraje has called on the Inspector General of Police, IGP, Mohammed Abubakar to as a matter of urgency reopen its national secretariat which was sealed last week. The Baraje-led new PDP condemned in strong terms the action of the police describing it as a negation of a High Court order which had both parties to \u2018maintain the status quo pending his determination of the motion on notice\u2019.<\/p>\n
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In a statement released and signed by its new National Publicity Secretary, Eze Chukwuemeka Eze looked with repugnance at attempts by certain individuals within the presidency to stifle democracy.<\/p>\n
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The full text of the statement (unedited) \u00a0reads: \u201cThe fracas over the representation of the former National Executive of the People\u2019s Democratic Party of Alhaji Bamanga Tukur, today at the Ikeja Division of the Lagos High court is testimonial of the confusion that consumed the party under Alhaji Bamanga Tukur.<\/p>\n
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\u201cThe Ikeja Division of the Lagos High court under Justice Ganiyu S. Safari had on 2nd September, 2013 ordered both parties to maintain the status quo pending his determination of the motion on notice. He also directed that the defendants be served outside jurisdiction.<\/p>\n
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\u201cAgain on Wednesday, September 4, 2013 a Federal court in Abuja reiterated the ruling of Justice Safari asking both parties to maintain status quo pending the hearing of the case.<\/p>\n
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\u201cIn keeping with the ruling, the Alhaji Abubakar Kawu Baraje executive obeyed the learned Judges but was shocked at the sealing up of its secretariat under the instructions of Inspector General of Police on 7thSeptember, 2013 probably prompted by the Alh. Tukur\u2019s faction of<\/p>\n
PDP Leadership in its usual fashion of lawlessness and supported by their cronies in government.<\/p>\n
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\u201cIn view of the ruling ordering both parties to maintain the status quo pending the determination of the case, PDP national executive committee wishes to request the Inspector General of Police, M.D. Abubakar, to immediately unseal its National Secretariat in Abuja and allow it to<\/p>\n
operate unhindered.<\/p>\n
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\u201cIn line with the resolve of the leadership of the PDP under Alhaji Abubakar Kawu Baraje to respect and uphold democratic tenets and the rule of law and considering that the judiciary is the bastion of democracy and the last hope of the common man, the PDP once again approached the court to interpret its former ruling that two factions should maintain the status quo and assist us to decide on the legality or otherwise of the sealing off of our National Secretariat by the police on the orders of the Inspector General of Police but Alh. Tukur led faction of the party could not agree on a common Counsel to represent them thereby forcing the Lagos High Court<\/p>\n
to adjourned the case till 17th September, 2013.<\/p>\n
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\u201cFew days ago, the High Court in Lagos once again ruled on the legitimacy of the<\/p>\n
PDP under the leadership of Baraje after it ruled that the status quo be maintained until the determination of the motion on notice.<\/p>\n
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\u201cWe wish to therefore appeal to the Inspector General of Police, IGP, Mr.Mohammed Abubakar, to immediately unseal the party\u2019s National Secretariat to allow us continue our lawful activities and set our party on the path of victory in all the coming elections.<\/p>\n
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\u201cThe party views the continued seal up of our offices as barbaric, undemocratic and an abuse and demonstration of naked power, the very elements that characterized Alh. Bamanga Tukur\u2019s leadership.<\/p>\n
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\u201cNo matter the odds, it is our resolve as a group to rescue PDP from the hands of undemocratic elements and draconian rule which have been the lot of our political party under the leadership of Alhaji Bamanga Tukur.<\/p>\n
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\u201cWe remain committed to the vision of the founding fathers of our great party and will not be deterred in our determination to entrench democratic principles within our party irrespective of the odds and threat to our lives.<\/p>\n
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\u201cFor the avoidance of doubt, we reiterate our determination and will to restore peace in the PDP. We wish to commend the judiciary for living up to its reputation as has been clearly shown by the decision of both the high court in Lagos and Abuja.<\/p>\n
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\u201cWe are indebted to Nigeria and appreciate the goodwill we have enjoyed in our quest to rebuild and sustain the greatest party in Africa. We understand that leadership is a sacred trust and therefore commit to a people focussed and people centred leadership under our chairman Alhaji<\/p>\n
Kawu- Baraje.<\/p>\n
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\u201cWe appeal to all our party men to be calm, loyal and desist from making any inflammatory statement that may undermine the efforts of the Peace Committee of the elders of the party under the leadership of His Excellency, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, GCFR.<\/p>\n
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\u201cWe are certain that posterity will judge us fairly and that all this too shall come to pass in a matter of time.<\/p>\n
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New PDP Elects 17 State Party Chairmen<\/b><\/p>\n
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Naija Standard<\/i><\/b> observed that daring Aso Rock and barely few days ago, this embattled new PDP announced the appointment of more members into its National Working Committee.<\/p>\n
The announcement by the National Secretary of the faction, Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola,\u00a0came\u00a0 barely 72 hours after the police laid siege to their\u00a0 secretariat in Abuja.<\/p>\n
It also coincided with the\u00a0 boycott of\u00a0\u00a0 a meeting\u00a0 convened\u00a0 by the National Chairman of the PDP,\u00a0\u00a0 Dr. Bamanga Tukur,\u00a0 in Abuja on Monday by 17 state chairmen\u00a0 of the party.<\/p>\n
President Goodluck Jonathan is\u00a0expected\u00a0 to\u00a0continue<\/a>\u00a0 his peace talks all the\u00a0 governors elected on the PDP platform\u00a0\u00a0 at the Presidential\u00a0Villa in<\/a>\u00a0Abuja today.<\/p>\n But Oyinlola\u00a0in a statement\u00a0 in Abuja, said the\u00a0 stakeholders\u00a0 of the\u00a0New PDP<\/i>\u00a0 across the country\u00a0 had ratified the election of members of\u00a0 the NWC.<\/p>\n Apart from\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Baraje, who is\u00a0 the\u00a0 NWC chairman and\u00a0 Dr Sam Sam Jaja,\u00a0 deputy national chairman,\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Maode\u00a0Hiliya was named the\u00a0 deputy national secretary;\u00a0\u00a0 Timi Frank,\u00a0 national youth leader and\u00a0 Mrs. Binta Koje,\u00a0 national woman leader.<\/p>\n Others are\u00a0 Mallam Nasir Issa, national organising secretary ;\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Chief\u00a0 Chukwuemeka Eze, national publicity secretary; Aliyu Wadada, national\u00a0financial<\/a>\u00a0secretary; and\u00a0\u00a0 Mallam Tanko\u00a0 Gomna, national treasurer.<\/p>\n Oyinlola however did not say when and where the NWC members were elected.<\/p>\n Tukur Counters New PDP\u2026hosts 19 State Party Chairmen<\/b><\/p>\n Same Monday,\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Tukur hosted 19 state chairmen of the PDP and their Federal\u00a0Capital<\/a>\u00a0Territory counterpart in his\u00a0bid to win<\/a>\u00a0their support against the Baraje-led group.<\/p>\n It was learnt that\u00a0the majority of the 17 state chairmen\u00a0 that\u00a0 stayed away\u00a0 from the\u00a0 meeting\u00a0 attended the PDP post-convention dinner, which was held at the Presidential Villa in Abuja on Sunday night.<\/p>\n