The embattled National Chairman of the PDP, Alhaji Bamanga Tukur, may have incurred the wrath of President Goodluck Jonathan over his latest handling of the moves to resolve the crisis in the party. President Jonathan is said to be angry with Tukur for flouting his order to re-instate the suspended national secretary of the PDP, Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola. The Court of Appeal had granted Oyinlola’s appeal to quash the verdict of a high court which nullified the process that led to his emergence as PDP scribe. The President reportedly asked Tukur not to proceed to the Supreme Court on appeal and return Oyinlola to office, but the National Chairman remained adamant while Oyinlola took his case to the President to intervene. The National Publicity Secretary of PDP, Chief Olisa Metuh, said yesterday that the party was yet to be served a copy of the judgment of the Court of Appeal. It was gathered that the President on Sunday met with Tukur, some selected opinion leaders and legal advisers of the party at the Presidential Villa. The long session provided opportunity for most stakeholders to air their views on how to address the judgment of the Court of Appeal. It was gathered that the hawks at the meeting vehemently argued that it was better to allow the Supreme Court to make a final pronouncement on the case. The hawks alleged that since Oyinlola had pitched tent with the New PDP, he has technically left the party and could not be reinstated. They maintained that Oyinlola had no locus standi to sustain his case at the Supreme Court. The hawks adopted the position of the political godfather of the President, Chief Edwin Clark, that Oyinlola has defected from PDP. One of the legal counsel of the party was alleged to have battled desperately to convince the President that the PDP has a good case, but the President ignored all the persuasions and insisted on Oyinlola’s reinstatement to “heal the wounds in the party and put the crisis behind it.” A top source quoted the President as saying: “I will not be a party to any attempt to ridicule the court. We need to honour the judgment of the Court of Appeal. Mr. Chairman, go and reinstate Oyinlola with immediate effect. “I have respect for the judiciary and our democracy can only be sustainable if we respect the court. We have to demonstrate that we are genuine democrats.” The President asked all stakeholders seeking to file application at the Supreme Court against the judgment of the Court of Appeal to withdraw it immediately. Another source said the President made it clear at a point that he would “uphold the primacy of the rule of law than the idiosyncrasy of any person.” Tukur and the NWC, however, ignored the President and proceeded to suspend Oyinlola; the National Chairman of the New PDP, Kawu Baraje; his deputy, Sam Sam Jaja and a former senator from Jigawa State, Ibrahim Kazaure. It was gathered that Tukur did not consult the Presidency before imposing such a sanction. According to investigation, Tukur claimed to have asserted the supremacy of the party. But the Presidennt was said not to be amused by the development, with a PDP stalwart familiar with the development saying: “I think Tukur’s days are numbered, going by the unilateral decision he took to suspend some party leaders. Tukur and the NWC assumed that suspension was the right thing the Presidency wanted. “Everybody at the meeting where we decided on the reinstatement of Oyinlola felt embarrassed by the recourse to suspension by the party. “Our leaders are discussing the options available, including the removal of Tukur to allow peace to reign. “The Presidency is concerned that instead of the party creating and getting more followers and friends, the hierarchy is busy creating more enemies for the party and the Jonathan administration. “Though the Presidency does not want to interfere in the actitivies of the party, some forces feel it is wrong to ascribe every controversial action to the Presidency.” When contacted, Metuh said: “I am not aware of such a meeting, we are not changing the decision of any session. “Some people have been asking me this. I don’t know where they got it from.” On the refusal to stay action on appeal against the judgment of the Court of Appeal, he said: “The national leadership of the party has not taken any position because up till now, we have not been served. “Our National Legal Adviser told me that he was yet to receive a copy of the judgment.”
Posted on: Sat, 16 Nov 2013 04:17:12 +0000
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