A chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and a believer in the unity of the party and the Damagum led National Working Committee(NWC) Comrade Daboikiabo Warmate, has condemned the BoT Chairman, Senator Adulphous Wabara, for publicly blaming the Damagum led NWC of being responsible for the postponement of the National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting and calling for the north central to produce Sen. Ayu’ s replacement.
Comrade Warmate described Senator Wabara’s open attack on the NWC as unreasonable, uncalled for and a breach of the PDP constitution, and a deliberate attempt to frustrate the peace process achieved so far under Ambassador Damagum’s watch.
He said; ‘after all the BoT meeting did not meet the required two third majority to form a quorum in order to sit and take bidding decisions as stated in the party’s constitution’.
Recall the PDP Board of Trustees (BoT) held an emergency meeting on Thursday, 5th December 2024, at the NEC hall of the national secretariat, where the BoT Chairman scolded and expressed his disappointment at the NWC over the postponement of the NEC meeting.
He said, “It is with a deep sense of disappointment that I must express the Board’s dismay at the continued shifting by the National Working Committee (NWC) in convening a National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting. This delay undermines the trust and confidence of our members.”
But in a swift reaction, Chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Warmate said that, Sen. Wabara is unfit to remained PDP BoT Chairman, with several reasons that includes breach of the PDP constitution and attempt to create more division in the party.
In his words: “The BoT Chairman at his level should have access to Ambassador Damagum and his NWC members, so why come public?, is that what the constitution says? Who does he want to impress with him publicly blaming the NWC and calling for the north central to produce Sen. Ayu’ s replacement? Were some of the BoT members not present at the funeral of the late first lady of Akwa ibom state which was the reason for the postponement of the last NEC? Were there no cogent reasons at every point in time the NEC meeting was postponed? Was the postponement done without consultation? If not, why was it that, it was the PDP governors forum chairman that addressed the media twice as regards the postponement? Was Sen. Wabara not the BoT secretary when the presidency that was supposed to be zone to the South was taken by Atiku, and Dr. Sen. Iyorchia Ayu, as national chairman, for no reason for almost a year did not call for NEC meeting, what did he say or do then?”
According to him, the BoT Chairman has contravenes section 32(11) which states that, the quorum of the Board of Trustees (BoT) shall be two – third of its members drawn from at least two third of the states in the federation and simple majority shall pass any motion.” Out of the one hundred and twenty six member board, only thirty six were in attendance which didn’t meet the required two thirds needed to sit and take decisions that should be made public.”
The BoT Chairman also contravenes section 10(1g); 2 and 4, and section 58(1a, h, and i) which caution members from making public any dispute in the party.”
“By all standards, Ambassador Umar Illiya Damagum is occupying the position of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Acting National Chairman position legally, morally politically, regionally and nationally. I advise the BoT Chairman to go study our great party’s constitution very well again.
Speaking further on the issue, Comrade Warmate accused the BoT Chairman of bais, he said: “Sen. Wabara took sides abinitio when the internal crisis started, which has put his neutrality to question, and has made it difficult for us to see the BoT under his watch as an impartial umpire capable of resolving the issues bedeviling us as a party. What I want to know is, whose script is Sen. Wabara Playing?”
“This is not the first time his acting is inconsistent with the constitution of our great party and has not adhered to timelines and commitments which is non-negotiable. He should step aside because, he that must come to equity, must come with clean hands.”