PDP in final push to expel Amaechi

Leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has now taken concrete steps aimed at pushing out Rivers State Governor, Rotimi Amaechi, from the party with the announcement on Monday of the composition of its National Disciplinary Committee.

The committee is populated by loyalists of President Goodluck Jonathan.

The seven-man panel is headed by Umaru Dikko as Chairman, while Emmanuel Agboti is to serve as Secretary.

The other members are King Amalete Jonny Turner as Deputy Chairman, Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu, Shuaibu Oyedokun, Nana Ayishat Kadiri and Hussaini Diraki.

Announcing the composition of the committee, the party said it was done “pursuant to the provisions of Articles 57 (1), (2), (3) of the constitution of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).”

The quoted section reads: “Subject to the provisions of this constitution, there shall be a Disciplinary Committee of the party at every level consisting of seven members with proven integrity, one of whom shall have a legal background.

“The Disciplinary Committee shall be appointed by the appropriate executive committee of the party.

“The Working Committee, at any level of the party, and the Executive Committee (at the ward level) may, after preliminary hearings, suspend a member from the party for a period not exceeding one month, during which period the member so suspended shall lose his right to contest any election, and shall be referred to the appropriate disciplinary committee.”

However, a PDP member who spoke to Daily Independent on condition of anonymity on Monday raised eyebrow over the membership of the committee.

He noted that the members were no more than die hard loyalists of the President and the party’s National Chairman, Bamanga Tukur.

He believes that they were specifically appointed to carry out the bidding of the Presidency in dealing with perceived political enemies.

“The composition of the committee is a clear indication that the President is positioning his loyalists on important ladders within the party as 2015 draws near.

“Only last week, Governor Seriake Dickson (Bayelsa State) who has shown open partisanship in the ongoing feud between Governor Rotimi Amaechi and the Presidency was made chairman of the National Reconciliation Committee against opposition raised by concerned party members.

“Now, the final push to getting Amaechi out of the party has begun,” the source said.

Chairman of the committee, Umaru Dikko, is an associate of Tukur who was said to be instrumental to the emergence of Tukur as Governor of the old Gongola State.

Dikko, before his recent appointment, was the National Chairman of United Democratic Party (UDP).

King Amalete Jonny Turner, Deputy Chairman of the committee, is a kinsman of Jonathan.

Turner, the ‘Obanema’ (traditional ruler) of Opume Kingdom in Ogbia Local Government area of Bayelsa State, was once a classmate of the President.

The decision to adopt Seriake Dickson as PDP governorship candidate and who eventually emerged as Bayelsa State Governor was said to have been taken in King Turner’s house in Abuja.

Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu, Shuaibu Oyedokun, Hussaini Diraki are known loyalists of the President too.

Nana Ayishat Kadiri is also a loyalist of Jonathan.

Last Thursday, she, in the company of a former Education Minister, Dauda Brima, led a team of supporters of the President to the national secretariat of the party where they urged Jonathan to contest the 2015 Presidential election.

According to Brima, Jonathan did a good job in ensuring the release of Major Hamza al-Mustapha, the former Chief Security Officer to late General Sani Abacha, who spent 15 years in prison, before he was recently freed by the court, and therefore, deserves the support of the North.

Emmanuel Agboti who is to serve as Secretary of the Disciplinary Committee is currently Deputy National Secretary of the PDP.


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