The National Working Committee (NWC) of the New Peoples Democratic Party (nPDP) has set up a six-man Reception Organising Committee charged with planning the reception of the five new PDP state governors whom, it says, have decided to join the faction.

The Committee, according to New PDP National Publicity Secretary, Chief Eze Chukwuemeka Eze, is headed by Hon. Dr. Sam Jaja, the National Vice Chairman of nPDP, with Hon. Nasir Isa Abubakar, the National Organising Secretary, as the Secretary of the Committee.

Eze in a statement released this afternoon in Abuja named other members of the committee to include himself, Engr. Abubakar G. Umar, the National Treasurer; Hon. Binta Masi Garba, the Women Leader; and Mr. Timi Frank, the Youth Leader.

He said that the decision was taken yesterday at nPDP NWC’s monthly meeting in Abuja presided over by its National Chairman, Alhaji Abubakar Kawu Baraje.

“The committee was directed to submit for immediate consideration by the G7 Governors the, venue, logistics and modalities for receiving the five Governors, ex-Governors, Nationalists and key members of the National Assembly who have indicated interest to join us,” Eze said.

Giving other details of the meeting, Eze said as follows: “The NWC received with utmost happiness the ruling of the Appeal Court returning His Excellency, Prince (Barr) Olagunsoye Oyinlola back to his seat as the National Secretary of PDP. It pleaded with him to ensure that the impunity in PDP becomes something of the past as we await other court rulings that will restore the Baraje-led NWC as the authentic NWC of the party to enable us join him in rebuilding the party. The party after considering the expert opinion of the Legal Adviser, Barr. Eric Opia, decided that Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola does not need any other oath of office to return to work as PDP National Secretary as he subscribed to PDP’s oath of office alongside other members of the NWC that were sworn-in at the Eagle Square on March 24, 2012. According to the legal expert, the import of the verdict by the appellate court, which did not attach any condition to its ruling, is that Oyinlola is the validly elected PDP National Secretary. That has also been the position of INEC which monitored the National Convention of PDP held on March 24, 2012. As things stand, Oyinlola remains the National Secretary of PDP and only the Supreme Court can reverse that decision. The nPDP NWC is therefore of the view that Prince Oyinlola should resume office immediately without waiting for any directive from any quarters. Any other person who parades himself as the National Secretary of PDP should be committed to prison for contempt of court.

“The nPDP National Organising Secretary, Hon. Nasir Isa Abubakar, was appointed to replace Oyinlola in acting capacity pending further directives from the G7 Governors and the nPDP Caucus.

“The NWC commended and congratulated President Goodluck Jonathan by once again improving on his democratic credentials by directing for the immediate reinstatement of Prince Oyinlola as the duly elected National Secretary of PDP not minding the plots by some undemocratic within the system who want to portray our party in bad light by embarking upon on an exercise in futility by trying to lure the South-West PDP to write a petition against Prince Oyinlola and use it to invite him to the Alh Dikko’s Disciplinary Committee and after suspends him. To us this plot apart from being childish exposes Tukur and his cohorts as true enemies of PDP and the force behind the continuous crisis in the party which they don’t want its end because of their myopic and selfish goals but thank God for the intervention of President Jonathan to end this undesirable macabre dance.

“NWC congratulated the G7 Governors comprising Governors Babangida Aliyu of Niger, Sule Lamido of Jigawa, Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso of Kano, Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi of Rivers, Murtala Nyako of Adamawa, Aliyu Wammako of Sokoto and Abdulfatai Ahmed of Kwara State, for their wise decision to embark on a nationwide tour to brief Elders and former Heads of State of our nation on the state of our party and the efforts by some people to ensure that peace continues to elude PDP. This action by the G7 Governors should proof to the entire world our unflinching desire to restore peace to the party. NWC decided to wait for the briefing and recommendation of the G7 Governors before deciding our next move, even as we continue to wait for the invitation of President Goodluck Jonathan to conclude our meeting on the fate of PDP.

“The NWC welcomed the initiative of the National Security Adviser to President Jonathan, Col. Sambo Dasuki, to further broker peace amongst the G7 Governors, PDP and the Presidency knowing the implication of the continued crisis on governance and the security of the nation. The NSA has once again by this act demonstrated that he is a statesman unlike some of the hawks in the Presidency who prefer that the crisis in the party continues. These hawks are deceiving Mr. President into thinking that they love him more than those in the nPDP while they are actually engineering his political misfortune.

“NWC commended the nPDP leadership, including both the Caucus and NWC members, for turning the party into the beautiful bride of Nigerian politics in view of the fact that we hold the key to decide the next President of Nigeria come 2015. The NWC considered other options in case our talks with President Jonathan fail to produce the desired result and concluded that our door should be opened to the APC option, while not ruling out other options that would give us the leverage in reshaping the polity come 2015.

“NWC congratulated the Golden Eaglets of Nigeria for doing the country proud last Friday by winning the FIFA Under-17 World Cup for the fourth time in grand style, stating that the boys have demonstrated our common resolve and belief that Nigeria is a great country and can achieve the seemingly impossible if only our leaders can put their acts together. The NWC advised the Super Eagles to sustain this victory by walloping the Ethiopian team by next Saturday in their World Cup qualifier, even as the NWC prepares to storm Calabar to cheer them to victory.”

•Photo shows New PDP National Chairman, Alhaji Baraje.

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