BY VICTOR BUORO, ABUJA – The leadership crisis brewing in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)’s House of Representatives Caucus deepened on Friday with the main opposition Party slamming a one month suspension on Chief Ndudi Elumelu and six other members of the Green chamber.

This is even as the Party’s National Chairman, Prince Uche Secondus, has charged PDP supporters nationwide to remain resolute, committed and loyal to the party, which remains one, united and working hard to recover its stolen presidential mandate at the Election Tribunal.

On the list of suspended members are: Wole Oke, Lynda Ikpeazu and Anayo Edwin. Others include Gideon Gwadi, Toby Okechukwu and Adekoya Abdul-Majid.

The PDP had on Thursday, July 4, 2019 summoned the suspended members to appear before the National Working Committee (NWC) on Friday at 10am at its Wadata House National Headquarters in Abuja, but the affected members shunned the invitation.

The PDP said the affected members were therefore suspended over issues of indiscipline, insubordination and disobedience to party directives.

Speaking at press conference in Abuja, National Publicity Secretary of the PDP, Mr Kola Ologbondiyan, also the party had also referred the matter to its National Disciplinary Committee for necessary action.

Ologbondiyan explained that the PDP’s National Working Committee (NWC) took the decision after reviewing issues surrounding the minority leadership tussle within the lower legislative chamber.

He said the party noted the roles played by the seven members that saw Speaker Femi Gbajabiamila, reading another list for minority leadership of the House outside the one officially communicated by the Party to him.

The PDP spokesman said; “After preliminary examination by the NWC, it was evident that the roles played by the mentioned members, bordered on indiscipline, insubordination and disobedience of party directives.

“These acts are contrary to Section 58 (1)(b)(c)(f)(h) of the PDP Constitution (as amended in 2017), which provides that:

“Subject to the provision of this Constitution, the Party shall have power to discipline any member who says or does anything likely to bring the party into disrepute, hatred or contempt;

“Member who disobeys or neglects to carry out lawful directives of the party or any organ or officer of the party;

“Engages in anti-party activities or engages in any conduct likely to cause disaffection among members of the party or is likely to disrupt the peaceful, lawful and efficient conduct of the business of the party.

“Consequent upon this, the above-mentioned members of our party are hereby suspended for one month and this matter is hereby referred to the National Disciplinary Committee of our party, in keeping with Section 57(3) of PDP Constitution.”

Speaking shortly after the NWC meeting, PDP National Chairman, Prince Uche Secondus, said the party will not compromise its stand on the list of nominees forwarded to the Speaker for recognition as House Minority Leaders.

He said PDP and even the BoT are united behind Kingsley Chinda and others nominated for the minority leadership positions in the House.

According to him; “In consultation with members of PDP and other minority parties, Chinda is our minority leader and all the other positions as we have communicated to the Speaker House of Representatives.

“You are also aware that it was with the same process that we communicated to the Senate and it has done a fine job. The Senate has announced our leadership as sent without rancour.

“It is surprising that the Speaker had to generate his own list. This is against parliamentary rules or what is tenable at the parliament,” Secondus said.

Towing the same line, Board of Trustees (BoT) Chairman, Senator Jubril Walid, said the Board and NWC would continue working together towards strengthening the party.

The BoT Chairman said the list of nominees would be resubmitted to the Speaker by the PDP’s NWC.

“So, we have to be very careful not to do anything that will tamper with our case at the tribunals. We have to be one; we have to be united and that is what is before us,” Walid said.

He said as a family, the PDP remains focused and united  in driving democratic tenets in the country.