Former Political Adviser to ex-President Goodluck Jonathan, Alhaji Ahmed Gulak, has defied a directive by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Governors Forum asking the party’s National Secretary, Prof. Wale Oladipo to take over as National Chairman.
The governors had after their meeting on Wednesday night, which lasted to the early hours of Thursday, condemned the invasion of the national secretariat by Gulak even as they asked the acting national chairman, Prince Uche Secondus to immediately revert to his original position as deputy national chairman, in accordance with the judgment of an Abuja High Court.
In reaction to the PDPGF’s directive, Gulak, who declared himself national chairman of the party, said the governors were misadvised in asking Oladipo to take over the leadership of the party.
“This is not only contrary to the Constitution of the PDP 2012 as amended, it is in flagrant contempt of the declarative judgment given by the FCT High Court on the 16th day of December, 2015 which clearly states “that under section 47 (6) of the 1st defendant’s (PDP) constitution, upon the resignation of the former National Chairman of the 1st defendant (PDP) from office, only, the plaintiff (Alhaji Barr. Ahmed Ali Gulak) or any other eligible members of the 1st defendant (PDP) from the North-East zone of Nigeria, where the said Chairman of the 1st defendant (PDP) originated is eligible to be appointed to act in that office pending elections into that office”, the former presidential adviser said in a statement on Thursday.
According to Gulak, the National Secretary is precluded by the constitution of our party from chairing the National Executive Committee (NEC), the National Working Committee (NWC) and the caucuses of the party.
He maintained that it is only the National Chairman that can chair these organs.
“It is therefore clear that from the statement of the Chairman, PDP Governor’s Forum that the office of the National Chairman was vacant. And this has been cured by the pronouncement of the FCT High Court, Abuja.
“The National Chairman uses this opportunity to appeal to our teeming members nationwide to remain calm and rally round this new leadership so that peace may reign in our party and together we will reposition our party on the path of glory.
“The National Chairman of PDP has profound respect for the Chairman of the PDP Governor’s Forum and all its members”, the statement added.