Faction of the main opposition Peoples Democratic Party loyal to the Federal Capital Territory Minister Nyesom Wike, is set to name its own caretaker committee to take over the leadership of their faction.
Originally, the tenure of the National Working Committee was scheduled to expire on Tuesday.
But following the National Convention in Ibadan, the Oyo State Capital, the new PDP National Publicity Secretary, Comrade Ini Ememobong said they had commenced their tenure in Ibadan.
The new spokesman said that the National Convention is the highest organ of the party and has dissolved the National Working Committee.
Senator Samuel Anyanwu countered that their tenure will expire on December 9, 2025.
The Wike camp on Sunday held a Board of Trustees meeting at the FCT Minister’s residence in Abuja.
In his opening remarks, the factional BoT Chairman, Senator Mao Ohuabunwa, said the body remained committed to restoring confidence in the party and ensuring that congresses are conducted in states where they are yet to be held.
Ohunabunwa added that by holding timely congresses and reinforcing internal discipline, the PDP hoped to rebuild trust among its members and present a more organised and credible structure ahead of future elections.
It was however gathered that the Wike group is shopping for who to chair their caretaker committee.
But reacting to the issue of caretaker committee, which was earlier proposed by former Senate President Bukola Saraki and former Jigawa State governor Sule Lamido, the National Publicity Secretary of the party, Ini Ememobong said that had been overtaken by event.
Ememobong said the suggestion by Lamido “for all intents and purposes is an afterthought. For a man who went to court against the party, to now be suggesting ways of escaping the same judgment, the case that he had started. It’s confusing to say the least.
“For us, we are in court, in appeal against the judgment he got because if we allow the law or the judgment that determines who we should sell our forms to. If we allow this to stay, very soon, a court will determine family issues or how many children a man should have. There are issues that are non-justiciable in our law.
“That is the spirit of the law. There are things that are no longer on the table, we filed an appeal on that. That is where we are. By going to court and obtaining judgment and seeking to enforce the judgment, he (Lamido) cannot now… On what basis will he be withdrawing the judgment?
“Does he have the capacity to withdraw a judgment that has been given? The position of the law is that the judgment of the court cannot be made in a vacuum. So, Lamido is even advising against the court. We cannot go back, we will obey the court. His advice its against the due process of law.
“The constitution of a caretaker is unconstitutional and it is an impossibility as we speak in the circumstance. We went that route in 2016 and we know how it is. We don’t want to go that route again.”
On reconciliation, the party spokesman noted that “the NWC is undertaking sufficient reconciliatory moves and we are meeting with leaders and stakeholders across the country and we are trying to rebuild this party along the lines of equity inclusion.”
He said the party wants to make sure that “no man would have the capacity to sit on television and say nobody-born of a woman can suspend me. Nobody can be bigger than the party. The party must be bigger than all and at all times.”
