PDP disciplinary committee may Summon Oyinlola, Baraje, Jaja

By The Rainbow

The National Disciplinary Committee of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) headed by Second Republic Minister of Transport, Alhaji Umaru Dikko,  may invite former governor of Osun State, Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola, who was recently re-instated as National Secretary of PDP by an Appeal Court sitting in Abuja,  to appear before it.

Reports indicate that the committee would require him to answer accusations raised against him and the Abubakar Kawu Baraje led splinter group of the party on allegation of anti- party activities.

met in Abuja to strategise on how to effectively carry out the assignment given to it.

It was learnt that  members of the committee who met in Abuja on Tuesday with plans to meet again next week,  would invite suspended would also invite the Chairman of the splinter group of the party and former Acting National Chairman, Alhaji Abubakar Kawu Baraje; the group’s Deputy Chairman, Dr. Sam Sam Jaja; and the National Vice-Chairman of the PDP, North West, Ambassador Ibrahim Kazuare.

Oyinlola however told Vanguard  through a text message that “the PDP Constitution stipulates that a Disciplinary Committee can only be legally constituted if its composition is ratified by the party’s national executive committee. I am sure the membership of the Umaru Dikko panel is yet to be ratified. I also feel sure that elders of the party so appointed know the rules and regulations which must not be violated. If they sit to consider any matter, such would amount to nullity and acting in vain.'

The National Disciplinary Committee which is Chaired by second Republic Minister of Transport, Alhaji Umaru Dikko, has former Minister of Transport, Chief Ebenezer Babatope as Deputy, with former Deputy National Chairman of PDP, Alhaji Shauibu Oyedokun; Hajia Nana Aisha Kadiri; Publisher of Champion Newspapers, Chief Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu; Barrister Hussaini Duraki Kazaer as members while the PDP deputy National Secretary, Onwe Solomon Onwe will serve as Secretary.


Houses of Reps okay extension of emergency rule
The House odf Representatives  on Wednesday unanimously backed extending the state of emergency in the country’s northeast where Islamists are waging a brutal insurgency, giving the measure final approvaPresident Goodluck Jonathan had on November 6 asked for a six-month extension of emergency powers in the states of Adamawa, Borno and Yobe, where Boko Haram militants have carried out waves of attacks.

The senate signed off the next day, but the lower house had demanded detailed briefings from Nigeria’s security chiefs before voting.

“The House resolves to approve the extension of the proclamation of the state of emergency rule… in Adamawa, Borno and Yobe states to remain in force for a further period of six months,” the approved resolution said.

The emergency measures were first imposed in mid-May following a dramatic televised speech by Jonathan, in which he declared that Boko Haram had taken over parts of the northeast and displaced Nigerian sovereignty.

The military has since launched a massive offensive against Boko Haram, which officials have described as a major success and left the Islamist rebels in disarray.

But insurgent attacks have continued and hundreds of civilians have been killed, prompting experts to question the effectiveness of the special powers and whether any extension can permanently finish off the uprising.

Boko Haram, which with its offshoot Ansaru was last week blacklisted as a terrorist organisation by the United States, has said it is fighting to create a rigid Islamic state in Nigeria’s mainly Muslim north.

The conflict has left several thousand people dead since 2009.