NASS leadership election: PDP sets up investigative committee

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has set up an investigative committee to investigate the voting pattern of its lawmakers during the 9th National Assembly leadership election in June.

The Party’s National Chairman, Mr Uche Secondus who inaugurated the committee on Wednesday in Abuja, said that the committee had three weeks to submit its report.

Secondus, represented by the party’s Deputy National Secretary (South), Mr Yomi Akinwonmi, said that the 10-man committee would be chaired by Sen. Adolphus Wabara.

Other members of the committee include Prof. Wale Oladipo, as Secretary, Sen. Ben Obi, Prof. Yohana Iliya, Sen. Ibrahim Mantu, Austin Opara, Sen. Stella Omu, Margret Icheen, Mr Hassan Hyatt and Sen. Abdul Ningi.

Secondus said that the action of the party is a display of internal democracy, saying “this is the advantage PDP has over other political parties in Nigeria.

“This is what brought us to the level we are, respect for internal democracy.

“We resolve issues by dialogue, by discussions, by looking at the two sides of the coin. This you will never find in other political parties in Nigeria.”

The committee terms of reference, according to Secondus is to investigate and find out why some of the PDP members and Senators elect, failed to abide by the decision of the party during the NASS leadership election.

“To investigate and find out whether there is any involvement of the ruling party in the decision taken by the members involved.

“Where there are established reasons for taking the action by the members, the individual members should be identified so that the party creates mutual and political atmosphere for reasonable interaction with honourable members.

“To find out and recommend ways to checkmate such tendencies in the future and ensure that all members work together to defend the interest of the party at all times and circumstances.”

The national chairman advised the committee to look at all the strata of the party including the governors and advise the party appropriately.

“You have done it before and we believe you will do it again,” he said.

Secondus said that the party’s National Executive Committee and National Working Committee had the highest confidence in the committee.

He also expressed optimism that the committee would work for the actualisation of the terms of reference with the intent of defending and moving the party forward.

In his response, Wabara, said that the committee members accepted their nominations to do what he described as “very serious responsibility.”

“I promise on behalf of my colleagues in the committee that we will perform our duties in accordance with the terms of reference diligently.

“We will do it in such a manner that our members at the National Assembly will by the special grace of God remain intact and loyal to the party.’’

Wabara said that as men and women of proven integrity who were once leaders in the NASS, they would “unearth what happened’’ and submit their report even before the three weeks deadline.