By John Ugo
The National Executive Committee (NEC) of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) on Thursday passed a vote of confidence on the National Working Committee (NWC) led by Sen. Dr. Iyorchia Ayu for effectively managing the affairs of the party.
It also restated its confidence in the NWC to lead the PDP to victory in the 2023 general elections.
The development formed the major outcome of the party’s 97th National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting of the PDP held at the PDP National Secretariat, Wadata Plaza, Wuse Zone 5, Abuja.
A communique Issued at the end of the meeting said the NEC received and accepted the resignation of the Chairman of the Board of Trustees, Sen. Walid Jibrin and accepted the nomination of Sen. Adolphus Wabara, the Secretary of the BoT, as Acting Chairman of the BoT.
According to Hon. Debo Ologunagba, the National Publicity Secretary of the party, NEC thanked Sen. Jibrin for his loyalty and commitment towards the unity, stability and success of the Party at all times and urged him not to relent in his service to the Party and the Nation at large.
Also, it congratulated the party and the Osun State Governor-Elect, Sen. Ademola Adeleke for emerging victoriously in the July 16, 2022 Osun Governorship election
The NEC of the party further commended the NWC, the Board of Trustees, PDP Governors’ Forum, National Assembly Caucus, zonal and State Caucuses, other leaders, critical stakeholders and all organs of the party for the successful conduct of the 2022 National Convention as well as all primaries for the election of our candidates for the 2023 general elections.
The party’s executive committee unanimously ratified the list of candidates of the PDP as submitted to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) by the NWC.
The NEC also congratulated H.E Atiku Abubakar and H.E Ifeanyi Okowa on their emergence as Presidential and the Vice Presidential Candidates of the PDP for the 2023 Presidential election, respectively.
It also congratulated all the governorship, Senatorial, House of Representatives and State House of Assembly Candidates of the PDP for their emergence as flagbearers of the Party at various levels.
It also commended all leaders, members, critical stakeholders and supporters of our Party across the country for their continued steadfastness in the PDP’s mission to Rescue, Rebuild and Redirect our nation from the nightmarish misrule of the failed APC.
On the State of the Nation, the NEC of the PDP strongly decried the worsening state of the nation’s economy with attendant excruciating hardship occasioned by the corruption, insensitivity, incompetence and harsh economic policies of the inhumane and vicious APC.
The party top decision making body said it was appalled by the worsening insecurity in the country occasioned by the obvious complicity of the APC administration which continues to condone and enable acts of terrorism in various parts of the country.
It lamented the failure of the APC government to address the industrial action by the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU). NEC lamented that the APC is relishing the agony, pain and suffering of parents and students in Nigerian public universities due to the prolonged strike action.
The NEC condemned the constant display of arrogance by the Minister of Education, Mallam Adamu Adamu in handling the issue of ASUU strike and called for a more constructive engagement by stakeholders to resolve the matter.
It also condemned in the strongest terms the appointment by President Muhammadu Buhari of card-carrying members of the APC as INEC Resident Electoral Commissioners (RECs).
According to the major opposition party, “this unpatriotic act is a brazen plot by the APC to manipulate and rig the 2023 general elections against the Will of Nigerians. The PDP demands that President Buhari immediately withdraws the APC members nominated as RECs, failure of which has the capacity to trigger serious political crisis that can threaten the 2023 general elections and derail our democratic process.”
Concerning the Campaign Structure ahead of the 2023 elections, NEC approved a unified campaign Structures across the country for the PDP for the 2023 general elections which will focus more on the grass root.
The communique pointed out that NEC approved the proposed Structure and Organogram of the National Campaign Council as well as the National Campaign Management Council for the 2023 general elections.
It also approved the Structures for Campaign Councils at the States, Local Government, Ward and Unit levels and unanimously empowered the NWC to modify and adjust the structures of the Campaign Councils as and when the need arises.
The NEC received and approved the proposed structure for Zonal Reconciliation Committees to be set up to ensure that our Party presents a common front ahead of the 2023 general elections and received and approved the composition of the Manifesto Review Committee to review the Manifesto of the PDP ahead of the 2023 general elections.
It charged Nigerians to remain united in rallying towards the success of the PDP at the 2023 general elections and start the onerous task of rescuing and rebuilding the nation.