My appointment constitutional – PDP acting National Spokesperson, Manga

The factional acting National Publicity Secretary of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Mr Ibrahim Manga, says his appointment is constitutional.

Manga, at a news conference on Monday in Abuja, urged members of the public to disregard any misinformation on the ongoing leadership crisis within the party.

He said that the clarification had become necessary following certain notions and misinformation trending on the issue.

Manga said his appointment and that of Okechukwu Osuoha as acting national publicity secretary and acting National Legal Adviser respectively by the party’s National Working Committee (NWC) was in line with the party’s constitution.

“This is in line with the PDP Constitution (2017 as Amended), following the “absence” of our substantive officers.

“It is made abundantly clear on Section 40(2) and 42(2).

“It is therefore distasteful for a leader(s) who ought to inform the uninformed but instead goes ahead to misinform on a national television and other media channels that our assumption of office in acting capacity is unconstitutional and does not exist,” he said.

Manga urged the party’s stakeholders not to allow their actions to be guided by ‘sentiments and personal interest’.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the Damagum-led faction of the PDP NWC had, on Friday, suspended the party’s National Publicity Secretary, Debo Ologunagba and National Legal Adviser, Kamaldeen Ajibade, for alleged disloyalty.

The faction also appointed their deputies, Manga and Osuoha as acting national publicity secretary and acting national legal adviser, respectively.

Manga expressed disappointment in the suspended colleagues’ approach to “a mere suspension” aimed at providing them with the opportunity to clear themselves of certain allegations against them.

He said that the two suspended NWC members, as senior lawyers who had participated in the suspension of some of their NWC colleagues in the past, ought to know how to preserve the sanctity of the party.

“Although we have detailed knowledge of the drummers, the masquerades should have been guided in their dance steps to avert stripping themselves naked on the stage.

“In the face of this reckless violation of a subsisting court order, we are hereby left with no option but to deploy the services of security agencies in the enforcement of the rule of law,” he said.

Manga commended the intervention of the Chairmen of the Board of Trustees, the PDP Governors’ Forum and other well-meaning leaders of the party on the need to seek amicable resolution soonest.

Responding to questions, Manga urged members of the public to ignore the appointment of Ahmed Yayari as acting National Chairman of the party by the other NWC faction.

He said that whatever action taken by the suspended two NWC members remained unconstitutional, adding that Damagum remained the acting national chairman of the party and in-charge of its national secretariat.

Manga said that after 68 hours, none of the suspended members nor their ‘purported acting national chairman’ had reported to the party’s national secretariat.

NAN reports that two factions of NWC had, on Friday, emerged within the country’s main opposition party, with each faction suspending key officers of the NWC.

A faction of the NWC had, in a statement by Ologunagba on Friday, suspended Damagum, and the National Secretary, Samuel Anyanwu, for alleged anti-party activity.

The faction also announced Alhaji Yayari Mohammed as the new acting National Chairman of the party.

Meanwhile, another faction of the NWC loyal to Damagum also announced the suspension of the national legal adviser, Kamaldeen Ajibade, and Ologunagba for alleged disloyalty to the part.

The NWC faction, in a statement by the party’s National Director of Publicity, Pastor Chinwe Nnorom, directed Ologunagba and Ajibade to step aside.

The faction also constituted a committee to be chaired by the Deputy National Chairman (South), Taofeek Arapaja, to investigate the issues raised against the officers in compliance with the provisions of the party’s constitution.

The faction also directed the respective deputies to the two suspended national officers to assume office in acting capacity with effect from Friday, pending the conclusion of investigation by the committee.