INEC declaration sets tone for fresh crisis in the PDP

The declaration by the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, which recognised the Peoples Democratic Party faction led by Dr. Bamanga Tukur, has brought a new dimension to the crisis between the party and the splinter group, the Baraje led-PDP.

INEC in its reply to the Baraje faction, declared that, “You will recall that the commission monitored the national convention and special national convention of the PDP  held on March 24, 2012 and August 31, 2013 respectively, at the Eagle Square, Abuja, after notices to the commission.

“An NWC  was elected at the two conventions with Tukur as the national chairman. The commission will not withdraw recognition from the leadership of the PDP elected at elections duly monitored by the commission. Please be guided.”

The INEC declaration according to political watchers will pave the way for renewed hostilities between the factions of the ruling party -the PDP.

Consequently, the Tukur-led PDP has likened the failure of the Baraje-led New PDP to get INEC’s recognition  and the court’s judgment to “a failed coup d’état”. And that Baraje and his cohort are seeking to take control of the party through “the back door”

Baraje splinter group has also been accused of double standing as they claim to be seeking peace by sitting down with the Presidency and Bamanga Tukur-ledI PDP in the day time, but going to the INEC and the court by night to undermine the process.

An official of the PDP led by Tukur said “It is a known fact that factionalisation can only succeed in a party, which is outside power but where a party (which has a sitting President in its fold) is in power and you recognise any other faction of the party; it means the President is no longer in control.”

He stated that as far as his party was concerned, President Goodluck Jonathan was still the President and Dr. Bamanga Tukur remained the duly elected national chairman.

Meanwhile, the chain of setbacks suffered by New PDP lengthened on Saturday  as the Federal Capital Territory Administration sealed off the Adamawa State Governor’s Lodge in the Maitama District of the Federal Capital City for abuse of the Abuja master plan.

The lodge was sealed off after its conversion to a secretariat for the new PDP. The secretariat earlier used by the splinter group was shut down by the police last month.

Justifying the development, the Chief Press Secretary to the FCT Minister, Sule Mohammed, noted that the building was for residential purposes and not for political party secretariat. He argued that the Adamawa State Government contravened the Abuja master plan by turning the lodge to a party secretariat.

“All the governor’s lodges in the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja are enshrined in the Abuja master plan to be for residential purposes but not for political party secretariat as Adamawa State Governor’s Lodge is currently being used.

“The Governor’s Lodge, as it is today, is being used as a political party office, thereby negating the spirit of urban planning and causing nuisance and disturbance on the residents dwelling in that area of the city as well as inflicting undue pressure on the infrastructure and services therein, contrary to the principles of the Abuja master plan,” the statement stated.

The FCT Administration said it would not rest on its oars until the FCT was rid of all illegal structures and illegal change of Land Use.

The administration observed that any change of Land Use is usually accompanied by over-stretching of facilities planned for certain number of people, apart from causing high volume of traffic with its attendant problems.

It also said that all actions by a person or group of persons that inflicted pains on the residents whether directly or indirectly would not be condoned.

But in its reaction, the New PDP said the sealing off of the Adamawa State Governor’s Lodge in Abuja was a sign that democracy was dead in the country.

It argued that if the lodge of a serving state governor could be sealed off without any court order, then there was nothing those in government would not do to satisfy those that put them in office.

The National Publicity Secretary of the faction, Chief Chukwuemeka Eze, who stated this in a telephone interview with one of our correspondents, appealed to President Gooodluck Jonathan to caution the Minister of the FCT, Senator Bala Mohammed.

Eze said, “We can all see that democracy is dead in the country. Why would anyone think of sealing off the residence of a serving governor because of politics?

“The country is in trouble and we must all rise and condemn the action. The Lodge of a serving governor is like an embassy.

“We are not sure that the President is aware of this, and we must ask him to act fast before those who have no character give his government a bad name.”