Friday, 29th March 2024
To guardian.ng
Search

Kashamu alleges plot against South West PDP

By Leo Sobechi and Paula Eseghene
07 December 2017   |   4:04 am
Barely one week after the launch of Nigeria Political Summit Group (NPSG) by some public intellectuals and activists led by former President of Nigeria Bar Association (NBA), Olisah Agbakoba....

Buruji Kashamu

* Group salutes party’s northern elders
* Youths mobilise against recycled leaders

Barely one week after the launch of Nigeria Political Summit Group (NPSG) by some public intellectuals and activists led by former President of Nigeria Bar Association (NBA), Olisah Agbakoba, a youth summit has described the recycling of old leaders as sign of national stagnation.

At the summit, which held at PEFTI Film Institute, 5/9 Joy Avenue, Isolo, Ajao Estate, the convener, Mr. Iheanachor Ezeakor, said the gathering of young Nigerians is to review the political situation across the country, even as he recalled that a similar summit held in Enugu last month with participants drawn from various states in the Southeast urged Presidential aspirants above 50 years to rethink their ambition.

In a nine-point communiqué signed by Alhaji Haruna Waziri (Kaduna State), Mrs. Wena Isename (Delta State), and Princess Roseleen Foamin, the summit decried the refusal of old politicians to quit the stage for the younger generation, regretting that “the political situation in Nigeria over the years has sadly become akin to a relay race, where one person hands over baton to another in a-well-arranged cycle.”

Further the summit, which attracted youth from across the six geopolitical zones, declared: “We note with sadness that ever since the country’s return to democratic rule in 1999, the leadership positions across the 36 states of the federation, especially the Presidency, have continued to revolve round the same circle of friends, old men and women.

“Same set of people has continued to serve as president, governors, ministers, and heads of other strategic positions in government. It is even more worrisome considering that this set of self-styled political leaders and god-fathers have failed to provide the right leadership needed to turn around the socio-economic prosperity of Nigeria for the good of all.

While identifying the pervading poverty, unemployment, failed marriages, suicides, poor quality education and collapsed infrastructure as evidence of the evil effects of recycled leadership, the communiqué noted that time has come for the youth to assert the power of their demographic superiority.

Meanwhile, a group, Southern Solidarity Youth Movement [SSYM], has commended the People’s Democratic Party’s (PDP’s) northern elders for the supporting the micro-zoning of the position of the national chairman of the political to the south-west geo-political zone.

In a statement issued after a meeting and its election, the group said: “By supporting the South-West to produce the next National Chairman of the PDP, from election due to take place at the party’s National Convention slated for Saturday 9th December, 2017, you are reaffirming the decision taken by stakeholder at the party’s Convention of 12th August, 2017 in Abuja.

“At both convention it was unanimously, agreed that since the National Chairmanship position has never been held by anyone from the South- West, it was proper at this time for the purpose of parity to zone the position to the region.“The zoning of party offices to different geo-political zones is the PDP’s way of assuring inclusion, fairness and equity. The zoning formula enhances unity within the party, and fortifies our National spread, and character. This is why the PDP remains, the only truly national today.

“SSYM takes this opportunity to reiterate our commitment to our Parity’s zoning formula, and urges all other stakeholders to do the same. It is by adopting this inclusive approach to National Polities that our great party, the PDP can save Nigeria from the hypocrisy and narrow mindedness of the current APC administration come 2019.”

But the Senator representing Ogun East district at the National Assembly, Buruji Kashamu, has called on the majority members of the PDP to speak and move against an alleged attempt by some people to wrest from the South-West the chairmanship position which had been zoned to it before the botched Port Harcourt convention.

Kashamu, in a statement ahead of the national convention slated, said the attempt to frustrate the zoning arrangement entrenched in the party’s constitution by foisting a minority will on it might reduce PDP to a regional party.According to him: “If those trying to scheme out South-West succeed in their effort, the zone would be rendered irrelevant in the PDP.

He added: “Without prejudice to anybody’s right to contest, irrespective of the established zoning arrangements, it’s an open secret that the PDP national chairmanship had been conceded to the South-West pre-Port Harcourt convention.

“If a consensual stand is to be changed, it is only reasonable and fair that a new all-inclusive stakeholders meeting be called, where necessary re-zoning of key party posts from the South would be discussed to enable the national chairmanship become open to all southern zones. Similarly, the previously held consensus of the Vice-President coming from the South-East in 2019 would accordingly be revoked for all Southern zones including the South-West to contend as is happening now.

“The PDP South-East needs to be categorical now in support of the South-West on the ongoing national chairmanship tussle between the South-West and the South-South

“The logical implication of this avoidable tussle is to make uncertain, the settled South-East vice-presidential quest in 2019. If the South-East expectedly takes a principled stance in rightful support of the South-West, naturally as a reliable race in adherence to agreements, the Yoruba PDP would reciprocate without any prompting.”

0 Comments