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Peace returns to PDP in USA
Peace returns to PDP in USA
ACHILLEUS UCHEGBU Asst. News Editor
AFTER several months
of operating as a disunited front, United States of America Chapter of Peoples
Democratic Party (PDP-USA) has finally known peace.
The party, had balkanized its followers
along the Tex Wariboko and Mrs. Felicia Hadjesmaili factions.
PDP-USA became deeply factionalised after
disagreements and allegations of constitutional breach by Wariboko, a lawyer,
which led to a splinter group with suspension and counter suspensions taking
centre stage.
However, efforts by the party’s national
secretariat to achieve peace paid off recently after a marathon meeting which
began on November 4, at Embassy Suites in Washington DC, and ended about 4.00 am
on November 5.
The peace, brokered by a delegation of the
party from Nigeria led by member of the Board of Trustees, Gen-Samuel Ogbemudia
(rtd), indicate a return to the Pre-New Jersey elections status.
Disagreements at the New Jersey elections,
led to the factionalisation of the party as those opposed to the creation of new
branches by the chapter president Mr. Wariboko, accused him of constitutional
breach and sought his replacement.
The action which was rebuffed by Mr.
Wariboko, saw his deputy, Mrs. Hadjesmaili leading a group of those who believed
that Wariboko had erred into a splinter group which later met and suspended
Wariboko and the secretary Dr. Stanley Onye from the party.
Daily Champion
gathered that the peace meeting agreed that, while issues
affecting future of the party are being looked into at the party national
secretariat at Abuja, the Pre-New Jersy election in 2003, status should be
maintained.
Consequent upon this, all factions in the
party have been dissolved while decision taken while the crisis lasted and all
branches created by the factions, remain null and void.
The meeting also nullified all elections
into various branches, which were sanctioned by Mr. Wariboko suspension orders
issued by both factions were nullified just as charges and counter-charges were
in the same vein, discharged.
The peace delegation, however, noted that
the communication gap between the national chapter and branches, including
misunderstanding of their roles, were working against interest of the party.
It was clarified at the meeting that "the
Chapter Working Committee (CWC), comprising a few elected officers, runs the
day-to-day operation of the party, but must report to the Chapter Executive
Committee (CEC), comprising all the elected officers and branch chairman, the
COC is the supreme body that makes the decisions and set the goal for the
chapter while the CWC carries out the implementation process".
Meanwhile, the delegation affirmed the
chairmanship of Chief Ide Victor Okoye, Chief Caroline Nwosu and Chief Emeka
Ibekwe for Boston, Washington D.C and Chicago branches.
To cement the new found peace, the party
agreed to convene a reconciliation meeting, to be chaired by Nigeria’s
Ambassador to the USA, Prof. George Obiozor, within 30 days.
Other members of the delegation are
Ambassador Aminu Wali, PDP national secretary, Prince Vincent Ogbulafor and
Ambassador Obiozor.
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