…Blames Buni, others over fracas, death
BY EVELYN DADU, ABUJA – The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on Sunday said that members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) that participated in the “ridiculous drama ward congress” ought to know that they have been viciously scammed. The party therefore counseled them not to worsen their situation by allowing the “deceptive APC” leaders to further set them against one another in bloody clashes for a party that has technically gone defunct.
It pointedly said that the situation in the APC is symptomatic of the disgraceful end of a political contraption that was set up and operated on the basis of lies, deceit, falsehood, violence, disrespect for Nigerians and utter disregard to rules.
This was as the PDP described as “callous” that the leaders of the APC, despite knowing that any process conducted by the Governor Mai Mala Buni-led national executive, whose legal status, in the face of section 183 of the 1999 Constitution and Article 17(4) of the APC constitution, has been queried by the Supreme Court, could extort from their innocent followers and subject them to a fraudulent exercise that is a nullity.
The PDP specifically said that the Ward congress conducted by the APC amounts to a nullity, given the pronouncement of the Supreme Court, which invalidates the Buni-led national executive.
The party therefore strongly vilifies Governor Buni and other APC leaders for deceiving innocent Nigerians and cajoling them to participate in the needless exercise, which ended in violent crisis and avoidable deaths, when they know it was all in futility.
The PDP in a statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Mr Kola Ologbondiyan explained that while Section 183 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) bars a sitting governor from holding any other office while serving as state governor, Article 17(4) of the APC constitution clearly states that “no officer in any organ of the party shall hold executive position office in government concurrently.
According to the party; “The implication is that with Mai Buni as Chairman, the APC has no valid national executive and as such any congress or any other statutory process conducted by the APC under this circumstance remains a nullity.
“The PDP cautions other members of the fizzling APC, who are being cajoled to participate in the local government and state congresses to be circumspect so that they do not suffer needless loss, scam and harm in an exercise that is certainly going to end in futility.
“That is why the APC, as a party, as well as its government at all levels are plagued by crisis, confusion and endless bloodletting,” the party stated.
The PDP therefor cautioned Nigerians to be wary of their dealings with APC as it has put itself in a situation where it cannot legally stand for election or statutorily participate in the national electoral process.
