PDP disciplinary panel can’t try us –Rebel govs, others

Seven governors, who are members of the New Peoples Democratic Party, have said there is no way the leadership of the old PDP can put them on trial for indiscipline or compel them to appear before its Disciplinary Committee, which is due to be inaugurated next week Friday.

Governors in the New PDP are Rotimi Amaechi (Rivers); Rabiu Kwankwanso (Kano);  Murtala Nyako (Adamawa); Sule Lamido (Jigawa); Abdulfatah Ahmed (Kwara);  Babangida Aliyu (Niger); and Aliyu Wamakko (Sokoto).

The decision to inaugurate the disciplinary committee was announced by the National Publicity Secretary of the party, Chief Olisa  Metuh, after the weekly meeting of the National Working Committee of the party at its  national secretariat in Abuja on Wednesday.

Metuh said the seven-man committee would be headed by a former minister of Transport, Dr. Umaru Dikko while a former Minister of Transport, Chief Ebenezer Babatope would be his deputy.

Other members of the committee are Chief Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu and Alhaji Shuaib Oyedokun.

Despite his appointment, the name of Dikko is still listed on the website of the Independent National Electoral Commission as the national chairman of the United Democratic Party.

But Metuh insisted that Dikko was a member of the ruling party, adding that if the commission still listed him as the chairman of UDP, then the commission should be able to explain its reasons.

Metuh said, “We are not responsible for INEC lapses or in actions. But I can confirm to you that he (Dikko) is a member of the PDP.”

Though the PDP did not list the names of those to be summoned for disciplinary action by the committee when inaugurated, the seven aggrieved governors and others in their group said they would not appear before the Dikko committee.

The National Publicity Secretary of the faction, Chief Chukwuemeka Eze, told our correspondent on the telephone that the members of the group would not appear before the committee.

He said rather than appear before the committee, the New PDP might also be compelled to summon Tukur for similar action in the future.

Eze said, “ To summon us for what? They dare not. Even if they do, we won’t appear before any committee.

“We are the authentic PDP, who are trying to reposition the party and make it truly democratic. We will rescue it from the hands of the few, who have turned it into a clique and a cult.

“Who even told you that we are not planning to summon Tukur and members of his clique who have turned the party to what it is today? Just wait and see.”

But Metuh said his party had decided not to trade words with the faction because of the ongoing reconciliation meeting between the aggrieved governors and the Presidency.

He said, “In line with what the governors said at the meeting with the President about the reconciliatory meeting, the party has decided not to make further comments.”