PDP NWC meets stakeholders in Abuja, may take action against Wike, others

The National Working Committee (NWC) of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) will on Monday meet stakeholders of the party to discipline erring members, as well as accelerate reconciliation efforts.

It was gathered that reconciliation and party discipline will feature prominently at the gathering.

Vanguard quoted a party leader familiar with preparations for the meeting who declined to speak on the record because he was not authorized to speak to the media to have explained that the meeting “is a follow up to one held earlier this month.”

The source said , “Remember we held a similar meeting a couple of weeks ago.

“This meeting is to allow us receive a feedback from some leaders tasked with specific assignments in the light of new developments.

Asked to elaborate, the source said, “Of course, we had opened discussions with the Governor Wike-led G-5 that was before Wike’s ministerial nomination. While we desire to reconcile with our aggrieved members, we cannot ignore Party discipline.”

Acting National Chairman of the party, Ambassador Umar Damagun, had in an interview with a national daily at the weekend, hinted at a possible agenda for the meeting of “select” party stakeholders.

In response to a question on the party’s position on the nomination of former Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, for ministerial appointment, by President Bola Tinubu of the All Progressives Congress, he said, “We are already consulting with the PDP Governors Forum on the matter and the National Working Committee (NWC) will be meeting on Monday to take a definite position on it,”

It may be recalled that Damagun had while addressing those elected on the party’s platform at a one-day retreat in Bauchi , on June 3, called for synergy among party stakeholders in order to rebuild the party in line with the vision of its founding fathers.

He had noted that the “Peoples Democratic Party is in a difficult place at the moment”, since 2015 when the party lost the presidency.”

According to him, the challenge before the party is to fashion out a way forward.

To do this he said, “We must resolve to revamp our party. We must pull out the chestnut from the fire.

“This is not going to be an easy task because the rot is deep. Internal wrangling is crippling many state chapters. Many of our leaders are not accommodating.

“Because we’ve been out of power for long our people are languishing for lack of patronage. Many are buffeted and demoralized. If the party must survive there is need for everyone to be involved.”