I Remain PDP Chairman – Gulak Insists

Recall that in a communiqué issued at the end of a meeting in Abuja Wednesday night, the governors had ordered the Acting National Chairman, Prince Uche Secondus, to hand over to the National Secretary, Prof. Wale Oladipo.

According to the communique, the hand over should be done pending the emergence of a substantive chairman to be picked from the Northeast zone.

In a swift reaction, Gulak stressed that the governors were misled in asking Oladipo to take over the leadership of the party.

In a statement, Gulak stressed that the order “is not only contrary to the Constitution of the PDP, 2012 as amended, it is in flagrant contempt of the judgment given by the FCT High Court on December 16, 2015, which 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 Ahmed Ali Gulak) or any other eligible member of the 1st defendant (PDP) from the Northeast, where the chairman of the 1st defendant (PDP) originated, is eligible to be appointed to act in that office pending elections into that office.”

According to him, the constitution hindered Oladipo from chairing the National Executive Committee (NEC), the National Working Committee (NWC) and the caucuses of the party, adding 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 appeals to our 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 Governors’ Forum and its members,” the statement added.