The group in it’s appeal letter says the list in circulation, does not reflect the interest of the party in the State.
It reads:
The Chairman,
Peoples Democratic Party,
Wadata Plaza,
Plot 1970 Michael Okpara Street,
Wuse Zone 5,
Abuja
Chairman,
AN APPEAL, PETITION AND TOTAL REJECTION OF THE LOCAL GOVERNMENTS AND WARDS EXECUTIVES OF THE PEOPLES’ DEMOCRATIC PARTY IN CROSS RIVER STATE BY THE CROSS RIVER STATE PEOPLES’ DEMOCRATIC PARTY PROGRESSIVE MOVEMENT COMPRISING OF YOUTHS AND CRITICAL STAKEHOLDERS
The attention of youths and critical stakeholders of the Peoples’ Democratic Party in Cross River State has been drawn to the security threat and antics of unpopular few persons to destroy our great party in Cross River State arising from the released LGA and Ward Exco lists referenced as PDP/DOM/CF.V/VOL.2/20-387B. The youths and stakeholders of the party had an emergency meeting in the state capital, Calabar today, 2nd May, 2020 comprising of her caucus and representatives from across the three(3) senatorial district, 196 wards and resolved as stated below:
1. The said list as signed and sent by the party’s National Organizing Secretary is uncharitable, biased and a breach of the Constitution of the Peoples’ Democratic Party in its strictest sense.
2. The National Working Committee of the People Democratic Party(PDP) without regards to the Chief Security Officer of the State, the leader and chief administrator of the party in the state and the Digital Governor of Cross River State, His Excellency, Sir (Prof) Ben Ayade compiled and released the said list which is an affront to its own Constitution. The Constitution of PDP 2012 (as amended) carefully provides the procedure for the release of such lists. Permit us to draw the attention of the perty’s elders and leadership to Section 24(1)(c); by this proviso, the State Governor is a member of the State Working Committee(SWC) who is not aware of the list released to his own state. Again, the proviso of Section 24(2)(b) mandates the State Party Chairman, the Governor and few others to administer the state generally. It is therefore clear that it is impossible for the National Working Committee via the National Organizing Secretary to administer or reflect any decision in the state without due regard to the Governor of the
state. The role of the Governor and the party Chairman at the state is clearly stated thus in (b) and it goes thus:
” Undertake the general administration of the party in the state and implement the decisions of the State Congress…”
4.According to Section 47(1,2) of that same constitution as regards tenure and replacement of officials, the modus operandi of replacing national and wards officials is stated clearly thus:” 47. TENURE OF OFFICE OF PARTY OFFICERS
(1) All National, Zonal, State, Local Government Area and Ward Officers of the Party shall hold office for a term of four years and shall be eligible for re-election for another term and no more.
(2) The election of National Officers shall be at the National Convention, while that of those at the lower levels shall be at the respective congresses.”
5. From the foregoing it is clear that the authentic list that should be recognised must arise from a congress which is what was done across the 196 wards and 18 chapters in the state. The original list was compiled, witnessed by relevant stakeholders and supervised by the Governor and state party officials and sent accorrdingly to the National HeadQuarters of the party but the National Working Committee in its wisdom has released another list unknown to the state. The list as signed and submitted by the state party Chairman Hon Edim Inok is the authentic one, and he has publicly rejected the fake and purported list as released and the kangaroo inauguration.
6.We as members of the party in the state under the aegis of the Cross River State PDP Progressive Movement appeal, petition and reject the afore referenced list as signed and affirmed by the National Organizing Secretary and appeal in line with section 60, sub (1), (2), (3), (4) and 61 (1), (2) of our party’s constitution as stated thus:
“60. (1)If any member of the party is aggrieved, he shall report to the appropriate authority.
(2) If he or she is not satisfied, an appeal shall lie with the next higher party authority.
(3) All appeals must be dealt with timely, expeditiously; in any event not later than 2 weeks after the filing of the appeal.
(4) The National Executive Committee of the Party shall be the final arbiter, provided that failure, refusal or neglect to treat a report, petition, complaint or appeal on the part of the arbiter shall, in itself, constitute an offence.
APPEAL
61.(1) Any member of the Party who is aggrieved by a decision taken against him by any of the organs or officers of the Party shall have theright of appeal to the immediate higher organ of the Party within fourteen days of the decision.
(2) An appeal shall be determined by the appropriate appeal body within twenty-one days from the date of the receipt of the notice of appeal by the appropriate Executive Committee.
” For the Board of Trustees, National Working Committee, the National Executive Committee and other stakeholders of the party to intervene to ensure that the right thing is done in accordance to the constitution of our party, which is to recognise the original list as submitted and endorsed by the Governor, the state chairman and party officials of the state inorder to save our party in the state from implosion.
7. We call on all aggrieved members of the party in the state to queue behind the only leader of the party in the state, Sen Prof Ben Ayade, harmonize their positions and ensure a stronger and formidable party is built beyond 2023.
8. We commend the Governor’s strides in ensuring a COVID-19 free Cross River State and an economically viable and secured state.
9. Youths, women and elders within and outside of the state are totally in support of the noble strides of His Excellency, Sen Prof Ben Ayade, the Governor of Cross River State and condemn in strong terms foriegn interference in the political machinations of the state and utterances to ridicule the reverred position of the Governor,no governor will be happy or allow his office to be undermined.The Governor,Sen Prof Ben Ayade remains the leader of our party in the state!
10. We will be engaging in other activities and advocacy to further strengthen our stance and wish to reiterate that this battle against the Governor is our battle, and a battle against the progress of our state, her youths and political emancipation of the state.
11. Refusal to heed our prayers and appeals will leave us with no other option than to resort to other means of resolving this crisis in our state which will include litigation and possibly recall processes.
12. We will be collating atleast 100,00 signatures in solidarity with the Governor of Cross River State while also using this opportunity to ask the Governor to overhaul the political structures in the state and creating opportunities and more platform for his true supporters.
Signed:(See attached document)Cc:
The Executive Governor of Cross River State
The National Working Committee,PDP
The Board of Trustee Chairman and Members
National Executive Committee
All PDP Governors
All PDP National Assembly Members
His Excellency, Sen Liyel Imoke
His Excellency, Donald Etim Duke
Inspector General of Police
DSS
The State Chairman of the PDP, CRS
