By Steve Oko
A former Secretary to the State Government, SSG, Abia State, and member, Board of Trustees, BoT, of the main opposition Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Dr Eme Okoro, has insisted that former Senate President, Senator Adolphus Wabara, remains the authentic Chairman of the party’s BoT.
Similarly, a two-time Commissioner in Abia, and chieftain of the party, Chief James Okpara, has dismissed the purported removal of Wabara as PDP’s BoT Chairman as “a joke taken too far.”
Okpara also dismissed those claiming to have removed Ambassador Umar Damagum as the National Chairman of PDP as “content creators”, describing their action as “illegality clothed in absurdity”.
The duo spoke separately in Umuahia, on the heels of last week’s emergence of Senator Mao Ohuabunwa; and Abdulrahman Mohammed, as PDP’s factional BoT Chairman; and Acting National Chairman respectively.
Dr Okoro, a long time ally of Senator Ohuabunwa, expressed surprise that the former Leader, ECOWAS Parliament, did not seek his opinion before taking the decision.
“My friend, Senator Mao, didn’t even tell me that he belongs to a faction that is creating another factional BoT. I’m amazed that it happened. He knows that I’m a very strong member, and firm supporter of the Follow Better Organization, which he founded. He should have consulted with people before taking that action. He knows I’m a member of the BoT of the party, and should have given me that opportunity to dialogue with him.”
The elder statesman and foundational member of the party who said the idea of umbrella as PDP’s logo originated from his daughter, advised those who disagree with majority opinion of the party to rather look for alternative platforms, instead of staying back to destroy the party that made them.
“I believe that if we want to maintain democratic principle, when there is a crisis within, it must be amicably resolved.
“If it cannot be resolved, and one cannot continue with the party, the honourable thing to do is to quit the party, and allow the majority view to prevail, where the majority view respects the number of the people who own the party.”
He attributed the genesis of the crisis in PDP to selfishness, injustice and lack of discipline.
” I feel that the crisis in PDP stems from selfishness. It was selfishness that made it difficult for us to know that there is reason and wisdom in what we call the law of equity. The law of equity suggests that we must spread the power to recognize the potential of every state to produce a President or a Governor.
” When PDP failed to do that at the appropriate time, the crisis developed. And that crisis has continued to be supported by people who originated the dispute.”
Dr Okoro expressed disappointment over the level of impunity, disregard for the party’s constitution and due process by some members of the party.
He queried the legality of holding the purported inauguration of a new BoT of PDP in a member’s private residence.
“When I attended our last BoT meeting few days agocin Abuja, it was not held in somebody’s house. It was held in an official platform and in an official area.
“I don’t belong to the BoT that my friend Follow Better is chairing. Senator Adolphus Wabara is our BoT Chairman.
” I recognize him because we have not been dissolved by the appropriate body. It will be dissolved when we go to a convention and we have the majority opinion about dissolving or not-dissolving.”
The former SSG alleged that external forces with some internal collaborators were working to weaken and ultimately destroy PDP.
“This thing they are doing is a determined effort to eliminate PDP as a political power in this country. PDP is bleeding to death. And when it bleeds to death, people like me will move on.
“Technically, they want to kill PDP. And if I stay here and be waiting for PDP to kill me, it will be a big joke.”
Dr Okoro blamed the national leadership of the PDP for its inability to wield the big stick against those igniting the crisis in the party, long before now.
“I have since, said we should discipline those engineering the crisis in our party.”
The octogenarian decried double standard being exhibited by some members of the party, and the failure of the party leadership to call them to order.
“Wike once said that PDP is malaria; and APC, cancer. He said he doubted himself being in APC. Now they’re all going to APC that is cancerous! I prefer to take malaria drug than to be chastised into dying of cancer.
“That is a double standard. I thought the leadership would have said: let us discipline people who have caused this problem. But it was unable to do that.”
On the way forward, Dr Okoro recommended strong disciplinary action against all those instigating the crisis in the party.
He expressed doubts over the future of PDP if the problem were not urgently and holistically addressed.
“If I see that I’ll be wasting my time, and that I can’t help them in any way. I will work through the forest and find my way out”.
In his own reaction, two-time Commissioner, Chief Okpara, urged members of the public to disregard the purported removal of Senator Wabara as BoT Chairman, describing it as an exercise in futility.
“The decision of a few individuals meeting in the private residence of someone working for the Federal Government cannot and should not be regarded as a valid PDP meeting. Whatever they did there is null, void, and of no consequence”
Insisting that Wabara remains the BoT Chairman of PDP, Okpara said that “any attempt to remove him without following the provisions of the party’s constitution is an exercise in futility.”
He urged the National Working Committee (NWC) and all genuine party faithful to remain focused and united, stressing that the PDP remains the only platform with the experience and structure to rescue Nigeria from the hardship currently witnessed under the ruling APC.
“Our duty now is to strengthen the PDP, not to tear it apart. The National Convention is a democratic process that gives every member a voice. We must allow it to hold freely and transparently,” he concluded.
Okpara also slammed those opposing the forthcoming National Convention of the PDP, describing their actions as unpatriotic, illegal, and detrimental to the survival of the party.
The former Commissioner for Legal Matters under Gov. Theodore Orji, who later served as Commissioner for Housing under Gov. Okezie Ikpeazu, said that “any individual or group working to frustrate the National Convention is clearly acting against the collective interest of the PDP and its founding ideals.”
Arguing that PDP is reputed for its strong internal democracy, said that “any attempt to truncate that process amounts to sabotaging the will of the party’s loyal members nationwide.”
He said:“The National Convention is the soul of our party. It is the platform where decisions that shape our political direction are made. Any person who claims to love the PDP but is secretly or openly working to stop the convention does not wish the party well”.
The legal practitioner expressed disappointment that “some individuals within the PDP have allowed external influences and selfish ambitions to dictate their actions rather than focusing on the progress of the party.”
He blasted those claiming to have suspended or removed Wabara and Damagum, describing them as “content creators engaging in political comedy.”
“Those who claimed to have suspended or removed the BoT Chairman; and the National Chairman of our great party are nothing but content creators.”
Okpara said it was more honourable to quit the party than become a mole for the ruling party.
“It is worrisome that the main persons driving the media and propaganda of some officials in a rival party are purported PDP officers. Their marketability is because they are seen as PDP members. The path of honour and decency is for them to resign from the PDP and officially work for their preferred party.
“It is unfortunate that some supposed members are working from within to destroy the PDP and prevent it from being used as a viable vehicle to unseat the APC at the Federal level in 2027.
“Most of these people have already joined another vehicle but are insisting on driving the vehicle of the PDP off the mountain into the Atlantic Ocean,” Okpara said.
The former Commissioner urged members of PDP particularly in Abia, to remain steadfast, restating his commitment to rebuilding the party.
He expressed hope that PDP would overcome its current challenges and bounce back as a ruling party at the centre.
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