New PDP group sacks Sheriff as national chairman

A new twist to the leadership tussle rocking the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) emerged as some members under the aegis of the ‘Concerned Stakeholders of the PDP’, Thursday, announced the immediate dissolution of the Modu Sheriff-led PDP National Working Committee (NWC).
The group, led by Prof Jerry Gana also announced a 21-member steering committee to manage the affairs of the PDP until what the group called a lawfully organised national convention was put together.
It described as unacceptable and against the established principles and practice of PDP, the zoning arrangement announced by the Akwa Ibom State Governor Emmanuel Udom who headed the zoning committee.
The stakeholders described as a nullity and of no effect, “all actions purportedly taken by the said NEC and the National Working Committee, including the ward, local government, state congresses and the planned National Convention of the Party slated for the 21st of May 2016 in Port Harcourt, Rivers State.”
‎The group said added the steering committee members who would be named soon will work with members of the Board of Trustees (BoT) until a new leadership of the party is elected in accordance with the provision of the PDP constitution.
It would be recalled that the choice of Sheriff as national chairman of the party for three months pending the constitution of the executive has not gone down well sections of the party since early in the year, with the disaffection coming to heads with reports that the embattled chairman was angling for the chairman hip position proper at the forthcoming national congress of the party in Rivers state.
And apparently in anticipation of the decision of the elders, the Chairman, Senator Ali Modu Sheriff threatened to drag former Information Minister, Professor Jerry Gana to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) over alleged diversion of a N500 ‎million bank loan.
Also Thursday, Justice Ibrahim Buba of the Federal High Court, Lagos barred the party) and its chairman Ali Modu Sherrif from conducting any election into the party’s Southwest Zonal Executive Committee.
Justice Buba also barred PDP from recognising any such election until the originating summons is determined.The zonal congress was scheduled to hold tomorrow (May 14) for Akure, Ondo State and Ijebu Igbo, Ogun State.
However, Ekiti State Governor Ayodele Fayose has said that the party’s Southwest Zonal Congress slated for Saturday (tomorrow) in Akure, Ondo State will hold as scheduled.
The governor, who addressed journalists at the PDP National Secretariat in Abuja, Friday, said materials for the Congress had already been distributed through the appropriate authority.
He said the party was not aware of any court order, stopping the congress and as such, machinery is in motion for a hitch-free congress.