The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has moved to address leadership voids in its Ogun and Benue State chapters by appointing caretaker committees following the expiration of the tenures of the existing state executives.
The National Working Committee (NWC) of the party announced these appointments on Thursday, aiming to stabilize the party’s structures in the two states ahead of future elections.
In Ogun State, a 13-member caretaker committee was inaugurated to manage the affairs of the PDP for three months.
The committee, chaired by former House of Representatives member Abiodun Awoleye, includes notable party members such as Paul Ogunnubi as secretary and other key figures like Semiu Sodipo and Taiwo Akinfenwa.
The inauguration took place in Ibadan, Oyo State, where Kamorudeen Ajisafe, the PDP Chairman for the South-West zone, outlined the committee’s mandate.
Ajisafe emphasized the committee’s crucial role in uniting aggrieved party members in Ogun State, a directive he said came from the party’s national headquarters.
He highlighted the need for cohesion and collective effort to ensure the party’s success in upcoming elections.
“The committee’s assignment, effective from July 28, 2024, is to manage the party’s affairs in Ogun State as stipulated in Section 21(2)(a-b) of our party’s constitution for a period not exceeding three months or until a new executive committee is elected,” Ajisafe stated.
Meanwhile, in Benue State, the PDP’s situation has been complicated by internal strife.
The NWC’s decision to appoint a caretaker committee follows a series of conflicts within the state chapter, which culminated in the suspension of key party figures last week.
These suspensions, including that of the state chairman, secretary, and organizing secretary, were initiated by factions loyal to the immediate past governor, Samuel Ortom.
In retaliation, the State Working Committee, led by the outgoing chairman John Ngbede, suspended Ortom himself.
Further complicating matters, the Benue State High Court in Gboko issued an interim order on Thursday, restraining the PDP from conducting scheduled local government congresses in six local government areas.
The affected areas—Buruku, Gboko, Guma, Kwande, Ushongo, and Konshisha—are pivotal in the party’s organizational structure, as the officials elected there would have played a role in electing the new State Working Committee.
The court’s order follows a legal suit filed by a group of party members challenging the legitimacy of the ward congresses that were supposed to have taken place on July 27 but did not occur.
Ngbede confirmed the receipt of the caretaker committee’s appointment letter from the party’s national leadership, acknowledging the expiration of his tenure and the need for interim leadership to prevent a vacuum.
The letter, signed by the PDP’s National Organising Secretary, Umar Bature, underscored the expiration of the state executive committee’s tenure under Section 47 of the party’s constitution and the necessity of appointing a caretaker committee to manage the party’s affairs until new elections can be held.
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