By Emmanuel Mogbede
The National Executive Committee (NEC) of the People’s Democratic Movement (PDM) has dissolved the party`s national executive officers led by Alhaji Bashir Ibrahim following acts of misconduct.
This, according to the party`s NEC, is part of resolutions reached at its meeting on Thursday in Abuja.
It said the dissolution became necessary to save the party at the national level from dying.
The NEC also constituted a 15-member caretaker/ convention committee theaded by Alhaji Munir Waziri to immediately take charge of the party`s affairs.
Mr Ifeanyi Igwe, Secretary of the committee while reading the communiqué at the end of the meeting, said the party`s national officers were relieved of their positions because of their misconduct and anti-party activities.
“NEC has immediately dissolved all national principal officers of the party currently occupying offices for their compromise on the oat they subscribed to promote the party.’’
He said the party`s NEC also directed the committee to petition the office of the Inspector-General of Police (IGP) to investigate the conduct of Ibrahim, the party`s sacked national chairman.
Igwe, however, said that NEC had also approved all findings and recommendations of the membership rights and disciplinary committee constituted by the party`s National Working Committee and presented to NEC.
He also said that contrary to speculations in some quarters, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar was not a member of the PDM.
Igwe added that like every other Nigerian, the former Vice President was free to join the party any time he wanted.
The committee which is expected to review the party`s activities at all levels and plan its national convention for the purpose of electing new leadership, has three months to complete its assignment.
Responding on behalf of other meebers, Waziri, the Chairman of the committee commended the party for the opportunity given them to serve.
He assured that the committee would strive to build a vibrant and credible party that would meet the yearnings and aspirations of Nigerians.
He maintained that the committee members would work within the party`s constitution to ensure the attainment of its mandate while remaining true democrats.
The committee chairman said that he was motivated to work by the price paid for the country`s democracy by the party`s founding fathers.
Reacting to his sack, Ibrahim alleged that former Vice President Atiku Abubakar was behind the action of the party`s NEC.
According to him, the former Vice President wants to use the party as an alternative platform to contest for the presidency in 2019 if he failed to get the APC ticket.
“Unknown to him, PDM has been a burden in terms of financial resources, I have been dispensing to run the party. All he needed to do was ask.
“But since he has chosen this path, let’s see how it goes.’’
Ibrahim said he only received a letter this morning through DHL from the party accusing him of failing to open its National Secretariat.
He said he was given 24 hours to respond to the letter failure of which punitive measures would be taken against him.
