Embattled chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Adamu Mu’azu, yesterday offered his resignation at the party’s 399th meeting of the National Working Committee, the chairman who had been at the crosshairs of President Goodluck Jonathan after the woeful performance of the party at the just concluded general election cited “ill-health” as the reason for his abrupt resignation.
Some party members, including Governor Ayo Fayose of Ekiti State and former national woman leader of the PDP, Josephine Anenih, had urged Mr. Mu’azu to resign following the party’s disastrous performance in Nigeria’s general elections held on March 28 and April 11.
Until yesterday’s meeting of the party’s NWC, Mr. Mu’azu had insisted that he had no intention of resigning, with his defenders within the party arguing that President Goodluck Jonathan and his close associates were responsible for the party’s electoral humiliation.
In a statement released by its national secretary, Adewale Oladipo, the PDP’s National Working Committee underscored that Mr. Mu’azu’s resignation was “voluntary.”
The statement added, “Consequently, in line with the provisions of sections 45 (2) of the PDP constitution, the Deputy National Chairman, Prince Uche Secondus, acts in place of the National Chairman pending a replacement from the North East zone.”
Mr. Oladipo also revealed that the NWC would make its position known tomorrow on “the correct position of the status of the Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the PDP, Chief Tony Anenih.”
But before the end of the day, Chief Anenih, who is popularly referred to as “Mr. Fix It” for his uncanny ability to rig elections had also tendered his resignation claiming that he left so that President Jonathan could take over the party as its BOT chair.
In its release, the NWC restated its “complete confidence” in the party’s national publicity secretary, Olisa Metuh. The national secretary praised Mr. Metuh “for his outstanding performance, exemplary commitment and sacrifices, particularly in the ways and manner with which he conducts the affairs of the Publicity Directorate in projecting the positive image of the party and its government.”
The statement revealed that the NWC had set up a seven-man disciplinary committee headed by Michael Abdul, with Mike Ogiadome, Teslim Folarin, Akilu Indabawa, Hassan Kafayas, and Nonye Nwangwu as members. Tony Caesar Okeke is to serve as the committee’s secretary. The committee is due for inauguration on May 26, 2015 at the party’s secretariat in Abuja.
SaharaReporters had revealed that the party internal crisis had grown especially as men loyal to President Jonathan began leaking party vouchers showing how the national leadership had shared party funds amongst themselves a few days after President Jonathan lost the presidential elections.