Ahmed Abubakar, Dutse
The crises rocking the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in Jigawa has torn its members apart as the Aminu Ibrahim faction has rejected a five-man committee constituted to steer the affairs of local government across the state.
Mallam Aminu Ibrahim Ringim, who was the gubernatorial candidate of the PDP in 2015, had in a press briefing at his Dutse residence accused the state caretaker committee members of conniving with Sule Lamido faction to approve appointments of 135 local government committee members without consulting them.
Ringim declared: ‘How can a supposed impartial committee sent to unite us accept nominations of 135 people from the other side as chairmen and other committee members to steer the affairs of the party without any of our input.’
He said the state caretaker committee has obviously demonstrated a bias position by accepting and endorsing the appointments of the Sule Lamido faction without diligent consultation and regard to the Aminu Ringim’s faction of the PDP.
‘We hereby announced to the world our total rejection of the appointments and hereby called upon the National Working Committee (NWC) of our party that we have lost confidence on them and they should be withdrawn with immediate effect,’ he declared.
The state PDP caretaker committee had on Friday inaugurated a local government caretaker chairmen to handle the party affairs in all 27 local government areas of the state.
Addressing pressmen shortly after the inauguration, the state party caretaker committee chairman Alhaji Umar Mungadi said the sole administrators were commissioned to steer the affairs of the party following the expiration of the members of the state working committee and in line with the party’s constitution.
He said the 5-man local government members would serve as representatives of the party across the 27 local government councils to ensure the adherence to the party’s process for electing party leaders from the grass root.
The PDP caretaker chairman said the party was built on the principle of democracy and human development and it will always provide equal opportunity to every member and any good person of Nigeria that is willing to join.
He said the state caretaker committee’s duty will not be completed without effort and inputs of the local government sole administrators.
Alhaji Umar had also charged the committees to work in line with the party constitution and ensure they carry all party members along with no nepotism or showing any favouratism, adding that ‘you are also expected to work hard to settle all disputes and perceived differences within the party leaving no stone unturned.’