Atiku, Tukur lose out as PDP NWC fails to recognize Adamawa congresses

A former Vice President, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, and the National chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, Alhaji Bamanga Tukur, have lost their grip on the affairs of the party in their home state.
This followed the refusal of the National Working Committee of the party to recognize the congresses held in the state two weeks ago.
Rather, the NWC of the PDP, after a meeting where Tukur was absent, said it was not aware of any congress in the state.
The congresses had seen the old and founding members of the PDP winning in most areas, with the state Governor, Alhaji Murtala Nyako, a new entrant into the party from the All Nigeria Peoples Party, losing his grip on the party.
The party had, during the tenure of former President Olusegun Obasanjo, deregstered the like of Abubakar in the stormy days ahead of the 2007 presidential election.
The NWC said in a statement issued after the meeting on Tuesday: “This is a press briefing by the National Working Committee on the issue of Adamawa State purported congresses.
“Today the 8th day of January 2013 the members of the NWC acting under Article 29(3), and with ten members present out of the twelve, held an emergency NWC on this burning subject.
“The emergency NWC decided to announce the following:
“(1) The NWC in its 325th meeting of Wednesday 12th December 2012 had rescinded the dissolution of the PDP Adamawa State Executive.
“(2) The NWC had earlier dissolved the Adamawa State Executive under Article 29(2)(b) wherein we acted on behalf of Article 31(2)(e) powers of the NEC.
“But it is instructive to note that the Ward and Local government executives of Adamawa State were never dissolved.
“At its 314th meeting of 29th August 2012 the NWC had upheld the March 2012 ward and local government executives except for one LGA which was later ratified.
“(3) The NWC is therefore surprised, shocked and embarrassed to read in the Newspapers of the purported ward, local government and state congresses
said to be on going in Adamawa State.
“(4) For the records, the National Working Committee, hereby dissociate the Party leadership from the purported congresses which were neither authorized by the NWC nor monitored and/or supervised by the National Secretariat.
“In the history of the PDP only the National Secretariat of the PDP conducts state congresses.
“Based upon the above therefore the NWC hereby declare the purported congresses null, void and of no effect whatsoever.
“Consequently we hereby declare that the only state executive committee constitutionally recognized by this Party is the Kaugama Executive lawfully elected
in March 2012 and endorsed by the National Convention.”
The statement was signed by the Deputy National Chairman of the PDP, Dr. Sam Sam Jaja, and the National Secretary, Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola.