IS PDP BOT USURPING NWC'S FUNCTIONS?
The question: “Is PDP BoT usurping NWC’s functions” has become pertinent against the backdrop of current developments in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), which have made clueless political loafers to go to town to showcase their ignorance by claiming that the party’s Board of Trustees (BoT) has taken over the functions of the National Working Committee (NWC).
Indeed, there have been some erroneous insinuations in the media as well as outright accusations by some individuals and groups that the BoT, under the chair of Chief Tony Anenih, has taken over the functions of the party’s National Working Committee (NWC) under the supervision of the national chair of the party, Alhaji Bamanga Tukur.
A national newspaper with bias for the north of the country was the first to publish a lead story which content did not justify the headline. My conclusion, upon reading the story, was that the newspaper was either playing the ethnic card or merely positioning itself as the media buckler for the opposition parties.
Either case is explicable. As for playing the ethnic card, it was not too difficult for me to see through the report, which was attributed to some unnamed sources, as an enterprise to rally behind Tukur, who is a northerner. But it was pretty hard for me to believe that Tukur was or could have been behind that effort. This point, of course, is moot.
In the second case, the opinionated story, which was given a front page lead treatment, created the impression that the newspaper was offering image/reputation management services to the opposition parties-CPC, ACN and ANPP- which are working towards a merger to form a mega opposition party against the ruling PDP.
On the heels of the newspaper report was the accusation by a group which styles itself as Forum for Equity and Justice. The Forum had, in a syndicated press release, reinforced the suggestion that the Anenih-led BoT was taking over the activities of the Tukur-led NWC by reason of the successful reconciliation tour of states embarked upon by Anenih and members of the BoT.
Indeed, it was on the basis of this huge success, which is in the interest of the PDP and the nation, that this group and other elements, including an associate of Tukur, one Alhaji Salisu Magaji Mohammad (Sarkin Yakin Tafida Adamawa)(page 1 of Sunday Trust, April 21, 2013) and (page 9 of Saturday Mirror, April 20, 2013) and a so-called PDP Youths Group led by one Prince Bello Osaretin (page 50 of Leadership newspaper of Monday, April 22, 2013), are ignorantly pressing a charge of usurpation of NWC’s responsibilities against Anenih’s BoT.
But the good thing is that the leadership of the PDP had since refuted the claims by the Forum for Equity and Justice that there was a rift between the BoT and the NWC. The party, according to a statement issued by the National Publicity Secretary, Olisa Metuh, said: “We are aware that this group of meddlesome interlopers and political jobbers with no fixed address has been commissioned to stir up controversies and to portray the BoT as working at cross purposes with the NWC.
“For the avoidance of doubt, the NWC and the BoT are united and committed to providing the necessary political direction for the party. The leadership of the party reiterates that the Chief Tony Anenih led-BoT has in no way usurped the functions of the NWC. His reconciliatory visits complement the reconciliation and consolidation tours embarked by the NWC and they have been yielding desired results.
“The NWC is solidly behind the activities of the BoT in further uniting the party which is central and cardinal for the party ahead of 2015. Anenih, as one of the founding fathers of our great party, has always been in the political mainstream and commands the respect of all PDP leaders and elders.
“He has proven to be highly effective in handling party issues and has been acclaimed as one of the greatest political minds the nation has ever produced. In fact, nothing has been more beneficial to the PDP than the election of Anenih as the BoT Chairman and the NWC is committed to giving him all
the support he needs to achieve his mandate.
“The Board of Trustees is made up of men and women of high integrity who are the conscience of the Party. Most of them are experienced Statesmen and women who played key roles in the formation of the Party. The Party therefore stands to benefit a great deal from their wise counsel at this critical moment. We urge our members to completely disregard these amorphous groups and continue to work together as a family, in line with the visions of the founding fathers of our great party.”
For purposes of rationalizations and enlightenment, the functions of the BoT and those of the NWC are circumscribed by the Constitution of the Party. I have gone through the document and discovered that the BoT has been acting in apple-pie order. It is, therefore, preposterous and mischievous for anybody, whether within or outside the PDP, to foul the political atmosphere with a charge that the BoT has usurped the functions of the NWC.
Indeed, for the avoidance of doubt, the BoT is saddled with the following functions, among others: “Ensure highest standards of morality in all the activities of the Party by acting as the conscience of the Party, with power to call to order any officer of the Party whose conduct falls below the norms; ensure high morale of members of the Party and that the Party enjoys a good image before the Nigerian populace and is in good political health;
“Harmonize, co-ordinate, review and advise on policies, programmes and activities of the Party at the national level; co-ordinate the sourcing of Party funds; mediate in disputes between the Executive and Legislative arms of Government; undertake any other functions and activities as may be referred to it by the National Working Committee, the National Executive Committee or the National Convention.”
In the case of the NWC, it shall, according to the party constitution, “be responsible for the day to day administration of the Party and shall be responsible to the National Executive Committee; in case of emergency, act on behalf of the National Executive Committee (NEC) subject to ratification by the NEC; (and) perform such other functions as may be assigned to it by the National Executive Committee.”
Even the barely literate persons would understand that the BoT has neither assumed the responsibilities of the NWC nor those of the NEC of the party. The distinguished body of prominent leaders of the Party has been intervening, through reconciliation tour and talks, in the contending issues that have created tension in the Party with a view to resolving them and putting the PDP in good political health.
The Yoruba people have an adage that: “the elderly people cannot be in the market and the heads of new born babies would be bent.” This is quite instructive about the ennobling roles of elders which the PDP BoT has exemplified by its overtures to aggrieved members, particularly PDP governors some of whom have an axe to grind with the party's national chair.
The BoT has the backing of the party constitution to mediate in disputes within the party. In fact, in the current circumstance, there is no organ of the Party that is better suited than the BoT to drive the process of reconciliation in the Party. Well meaning members of the PDP should be wary of the antics of political loafers and desperate opposition elements who are trying to upstage the applecart of the wonderful job that the BoT is doing.
Their charge that the BoT has usurped the functions of the NWC is not a salubrious tale. The claim is a sweet poison which well meaning PDP members should relate to as one in the series of the oppositions’political shenanigans, which they (PDP members) must defeat through their collective will. This collective will is what the BoT is working round the clock by criss-crossing the nation to bolster in the PDP in the overall interest of the party.
Written By Francis Adejoh