PDP NEC meeting stalled as Mu’azu travels

Strong indications emerged, yesterday, that the move by some senior members of Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, to oust its National Working Committee, NWC, would end in futility following the continued absence of the party’s National Chairman, Alhaji Adamu Mu‘azu.

Mu‘azu is out of the country, reportedly on a medical trip, and his return today has reportedly been put on hold.

He is required to summon a meeting of the National Executive Committee, NEC, of the party, the only body that has the power, besides the National Convention, to discipline or remove a national officer of the party.

Sources in the party told Chat212 yesterday that a NEC meeting does not look feasible until after May 29 when President Goodluck Jonathan would have stepped down from office.

Following the poor performance of the party in the March 28 presidential election, senior party stakeholders had sought for a NEC meeting to review the development.

A NEC meeting, under normal circumstances, would have taken place before the May 29 hand over date. But it does not look feasible that the embattled NWC members would oblige to call a meeting before that day.

At the National Secretariat of PDP, Chat212 gathered that there were no signs of the party holding a NEC meeting, as staff bluntly told Chat212 that no date had been fixed.

The National Chairman, through the National Secretary, has the power to summon a meeting of NEC. In his absence, the deputy national chairman would summon a meeting. Mu’azu and his deputy, Prince Uche Secondus are, however, presently not in the country.

The last NEC was held last September before the March and April elections.

Chat212 gathered that while Mu’azu is out of the country for medical attention, his deputy travelled to attend to some family issues that were left unattended to prior to the elections.

The PDP National Chairman, a source told Chat212, was billed to return to the country today. But strong indications emerged that he may not be able to come back to the country this week as expected due to what may be described as strong counsel by his doctors.

It was also gathered that the NWC members may be waiting for the expiration of the tenure of the President and majority of the PDP governors on May 29, before deciding on when to hold NEC.

Statutory members of NEC are the President, Vice President, President of the Senate, Deputy Speaker of the House of Represen-tatives, governors in the party, NWC members, former chairmen and secretaries, Chairman, Secretary of BoT, among others.