*Cancels 100th NEC meeting billed for Monday
By Lateef Ibrahim, Abuja
The Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, has reinstated Senator Samuel Anyanwu as its National Secretary.
The leading opposition party has similarly cancelled its earlier scheduled 100th National Executive Committee, NEC, meeting fixed for Monday 30th June, this year.
The acting National Chairman of the PDP, Amb Ilya Damagum announced these at a press conference he addressed at the party’s headquarters in Abuja on Wednesday.
In the stead of the cancelled 100th NEC meeting, the PDP, according to Damagum, has resolved to hold an extended caucus meeting on the same Monday.
While pointing out that Anyanwu will resume as the National Secretary, the acting National Chairman said, “I think that’s the most important thing”.
Damagum, at the press conference held at the Wadata House headquarters of the PDP, said, “We had an extensive meeting and critical issues were discussed. We know where our problem is.
“INEC is our regulator and they have told us their position as it is, as it affects the issue surrounding the National Secretary.
“We are all aware that the National Secretary is a signatory of this party. It is a critical position that he holds.
As such, we have decided to abide by the advice they gave us, especially as we have a very, very important election before us, that is the FCT election and we are running out of time.
“So we have no option but to abide by the decision.
“After due consultation and everything, we thought it’s a bitter pill and we have to swallow it.
I” want to use this opportunity to call on all our party faithful to know that it was a difficult decision.
“But the survival of the party is more than all of us, more than everything that you feel that you know and yearn for.
“So I want to use this opportunity to tell you that we will do the right thing and it is the decision of most members of this party led by the organs of the party.
“The leaders of the organs of the party will have an expanded caucus, so that we will discuss extensively the way forward to NEC.
“That would be on the 30th, we will issue the notice there is not going to be NEC, but an expanded caucus.
“As it is, like they (INEC) told us, they don’t have any notice of NEC meeting from us because I was the only person that signed, and we have not followed the guidelines.
“So that caucus will take a decision for NEC as well as all critical issues brought before us and leading to our national convention.
“Anyanwu will resume as the National Secretary. I think that’s the most important thing”, he said.
In attendance at the press conference, alongside Damagum, were; Governor Bala Mohammed (Bauchi), Senate Minority Leader and Chairman, PDP caucus in the National Assembly, Senator Abba Moro, erstwhile Senate President, Dr Bukola Saraki, Senator Seriake Dickson (former Governor of Bayelsa State) and Hon Umar Bature, National Organizing Secretary of the party and Hon Kingsley Chinda, House of Representatives Minority Leader among others.
It will be recalled that the PDP has been embroiled in crisis over the issue of who is its authentic National Secretary.
Aside Anyanwu, the PDP had, at different times, named Hon Sunday Ude- Okoye and Architect Setonji Koshedo as its Secretary and acting National Secretary respectively.
