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B N W: Biafra Nigeria World News |
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Daily Independent Online. * PDP summons Nzeribe over role in Senate crisis �
Wabara explains Obasanjo, Ogbeh, Anenih�s roles By Bisi Abidoye Political Editor, and Adetutu Folasade-Koyi National Assembly Correspondent, Party bosses have summoned Senator
Francis Arthur Nzeribe to appear before them to explain his alleged role in the
recent Senate troubles. He will be grilled on Wednesday next
week by the National Working Committee (NWC) of�
the People�s Democratic Party (PDP). Just as they did, effusive gratitude
flowed from the heart of Senate President Adolphus Wabara as he acknowledged
before his colleagues on Thursday the intervention of the leadership of the
People�s Democratic Party (PDP) in the crisis. And he was generous in praise for
his fellow lawmakers, who congregated in a full house. Wabara needed to be. The impasse
nearly led to him being pushed over the edge, into political abyss. He would
have become the third Senate helmsman to be sacked in the five years of the �No victor, no vanquished,� he
declared while applauding his colleagues � including the now reconciled rebels
� for their �maturity and magnanimity,� but reserved special gratitude for PDP
leadership for its �quick and peaceful resolution of this crisis.� In a release on Thursday after the
weekly NWC meeting, which ended late Wednesday night, PDP said it invited
Nzeribe over a paid publication in newspapers in which he admitted
masterminding the gridlock. Nzeribe had denied authorship of the
publication through a disclaimer issued in his name on Wednesday. But he
disclaimed the disclaimer on Thursday and affirmed that he indeed authorised
the publication. PDP has also announced measures to
douse tension in the party leadership over an apparent clash of roles between
NWC and the board of trustees, headed by Tony Anenih. A national reconciliation tour of
the board, announced two months ago by Anenih, would now involve other party
structures, with National Chairman Audu Ogbeh flagging it off in Uyo. A revised programme of the tour
would be announced later while the list of those on the entourage would be
harmonised to comprise members of the National Executive Committee (NEC) and
the board. �This decision is meant to achieve
the best result from the tour and eliminate any impression of division within
the ranks of the party,� the statement said. The plan had heightened tension in
the party, first raised by allegations that Anenih, then newly appointed acting
board chairman, was trying to sideline NWC by usurping its functions. NWC also said it has accepted the
apology tendered by Abia State Governor Orji Uzor Kalu to the party over his
allegation that Anenih threatened his life. It added: �NWC accepted the apology
tendered by Kalu to the party and to Mr. President as sufficient while his
refusal to apologise to Anenih on the grounds of subjudice was also considered
plausible by the party. NWC is, however, intensifying efforts at finding an
amicable resolution to the rift between Kalu and Anenih.� Expressing his gratitude, a relaxed
Wabara, fully restored in the saddle, read from a prepared text at the plenary.
He justified the role played by President Olusegun Obasanjo, top echelon of the
party such as its Chairman Audu Ogbeh, board of trustees Chairman, Anthony
Anenih. PDP Governors� �� Peter Odili (Rivers), Sam Egwu (Ebonyi),
Adamu Muazu (Bauchi) and Ahmed Makarfi ( His words: �Permit me to use this
opportunity to thank those who intervened to ensure a quick and peaceful
resolution of this crisis. Our special gratitude goes to the leaders of our
great party, the PDP. They played the leadership role expected of them. Some
critics have equated their intervention with meddling in the internal affairs
of the Senate. No, that will be a restricted view of things. �A party should be able to settle
disputes, ensure cohesion and enforce discipline within its fold, no matter how
big the party is. Our leaders rose to the occasion by playing this role.� Wabara said a new Senate would
evolve from the crisis, with tension points and how to avoid them already
identified. He added: �It is traditional for people to look for winners and
losers in situations like this. But I want to state categorically that the
winner-loser paradigm is grossly inadequate here for we are all winners. We are
all winners in the sense that this crisis should enhance all of us. It should
make our relations and operations much better. Now, we have a clearer view of
the tension points.� And now, we have a
clearer idea of how to avoid them. We can only be the better for it. We should
be the better for it.� He expressed appreciation that
dialogue and compromise prevailed in resolving the matter. �Dialogue and compromise are not
automatic to democratic politics. They come into the equation and have
redemptive value only when the political actors are well disposed to them and
only when the democratic spirit has taken real roots.� I am deeply impressed that in finding
solution to this crisis, we didn�t shut the door on dialogue and we were not
ashamed to give and take,� he said. Obasanjo
has forwarded to the Upper House a bill for the domestication of the Agreement
on the Establishment of the West African Monetary Zone (WAMZ) and related
matters. |
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