The crack in the Plateau State branch of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has widened for the worst with one faction suspending the state’s Governor, Chief Joshua Dariye, Chief Solomon Lar, the first civilian governor of the state and former national chairman of the party, and Ambassador Yahaya Kwande, a national top member of the party.
Also suspended were Mr Maichi Vwaiji, the chairman of the other faction of the party and his secretary, Mr Dalyop Bok; Mr Davidson, the vice chairman, northern zone and Mr Komsol, the state organising secretary.
Announcing the suspension to party members while inaugurating its new secretariat yesterday, the chairman of the faction, Alhaji Habu Shindai, said the seven suspended members are to face a disciplinary committee on December 18, 2004, at the new secretariat on No. 19, Yakubu Gowon Way, “failure to do so will be met with the necessary penalties and constitutional provisions,” the chairman said.
Aside the suspension, Alhaji Habu said that an investigation panel had been set up “to find out all those who are out to cause permanent discord and alienation in the party.”
Shindai, who was flanked by other party members with Yakubu Beshi as vice chairman; former governor of the state, Ambassador Fedelis Tapgun; Ambassador Bag-udu Hirse, Senator George Hoompbawap, Mrs Martha Broderick, women leader and Jor Abudu, state secretary, among others.
Those that were not physically present at yesterday’s occasion but sent in their apologies to the members of the faction include Deputy Senate President Alhaji Ibrahim Mantu; former military governor of Benue and Gon-gola States, Air Commodore Jonah Jang (rtd); former sports minister, Damishi Sango; former minister of state, science and techn-ology, Mrs Paulen Tallen; General John Shagaya (rtd), Mr M. D. Lot, Senator V. K. Dangain, Professor Dakum Shown, Ambassador Selchen Miner, among others.
While justifying his action, Habu Shindai said he was elected as the chairman at a state party congress and was sworn-in on May 15 2003, alongside other elected party chairmen in all the states of the federation by the national Chairman of the party, Chief Audu Ogbeh.
He said he cannot therefore be removed through the wishful thinking of any individual except through a duly convened congress.
“To remove me outside the constitutional provisions amounts to promotion of illegality, chaos and disorder,” he said.
According to Shindai, he maintained his scheme thro-ughout the period of the emergency rule, but now that political structures have been restored in the state, “I have decided to assume office and perform the funct-ions for which I was elected by all party faithfuls in the state. I have also decided to relocate my office to a new and more spacious one.”
He therefore urged all party officials who were elected along with him at the party congress in 2001 to report at the new party secretariat.
“They should report to their desks without further delay. Those who fail to do so would be treated as saboteurs and would face the necessary disciplinary action,” he warned.
There was no reaction yet from the Dariye camp, but a close aide described the development as ‘a huge joke’, even as he added that the governor was studying the situation and would respond soon.
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