Eminent Stakeholders and Concerned Leaders of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) have warned that the main opposition party was on an inevitable path to self-annihilation, if urgent steps are not taken.
Against this background, they called on the acting National Chairman of the party, Umar Damagum, and the National Secretary to jointly issue a notice to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) with an attached agenda for the National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting of the party.
The eminent stakeholders and concerned leaders drawn from the various States of the federation believed that it was the only pathway to abide by extant laws and to resolve the crisis rocking the party.
The stakeholders made the demand in a communique issued on Monday after a meeting on the state of affairs of the party; the need to reinforce internal democracy, equity and justice.
The party leaders noted that the seemingly intractable crisis in the party was as a result of inexplicable refusal of a few to adhere to the party Constitution, with particular reference to Section 36(1)(a)(b) and (c), Sections 47(3)(5) and 48(1)(i) and the definitive Supreme Court Judgment regarding the position of the office of the National Secretary of the party.
The communique reads: “The Eminent Stakeholders and Concerned Leaders are alarmed that the party is in an inevitable path to self-annihilation, if urgent steps are not taken to rein in the desperate, divisive and selfish tendencies that brought the party to its knees in the lead up to the 2023 election.
“These divisive tendencies, unfortunately, have found expression in the conduct of certain interests within the ranks of our party both at NEC, National Working Committee (NWC) and Board of Trustees levels.”
To this end, the party leaders were of the opinion that to finally arrest the inexorable drift towards extinction of the party, the party must, without further delay, respect the judgment of the Supreme Court.
The party leaders, therefore, unequivocally reaffirmed Senator Sam Anyanwu as the duly elected and substantive National Secretary of our great Party.
In the spirit of fairness, inclusion, federal Character principles and respect for our party Constitution, the party leaders said the party must make an unequivocal pronouncement Zoning its presidential Candidate to the South in the 2027 elections after the unbroken years of Northern President under President Muhammadu Buhari.
The party leaders added that in line with the provisions of the party constitution, only the National Secretary, Anyanwu, can issue notices of meeting of the National Convention, National Executive Committee, National Caucus and the NWC.
They maintained that all notices not issued by him and actions founded on them, including correspondences to INEC are null and void and of no effect whatsoever.
They said: “Furthermore, it is clear from the Constitution that only the National Convention, properly and duly constituted can remove Senator Sam Anyanwu, the National Secretary, arising from his status as a member of the National Executive Committee of the party.
“We, therefore, demand that the Acting National Chairman and the National Secretary jointly issue a notice to INEC with an attached agenda for the National Executive Committee meeting of the party being the only pathway to abide byextant laws.”