A faction of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) named Reformed PDP (R-PDP) in Adamawa state has emerged and has inaugurated its new officials.
The R-PDP defy all odds to inaugurates its new officials in Adamawa when previous attempts were foiled by the police in its attempt to convene at Lelewal Hotel in Jimeta but later shifted the venue to the House of its leader, Umar Ardo located at Karewa Jimeta.
The R-PDP has pitched its tent against the mainstream PDP in the state since the convener's fist announced its existence last year, however, two weeks ago specifically on February, 4th went ahead to hold its first meeting when it’s was thwarted by thugs of the mainstream PDP injuring three persons and vandalised six cars.
The group after they gathered at the Lelawal Hotel, and were about to start the meeting when police invaded the Hotel heavily armed with armoured tanks and frustrated the meeting throwing the gathering into disarray.
Dr Umar Ardo has been the person championing the faction since its breakaway from the mainstream PDP late last year, he leads the inauguration in his house where he informed his followers the reason for forming the faction.
While addressing the gathering just before the inauguration, he said, “We call this World Press Conference to express our dissatisfaction with the unconstitutional way PDP affairs are being conducted in the state and maltreatment of members who object to such unconstitutional acts.
“It is against this backdrop that some well-meaning members have decided to take this current action.”
While explaining his main grievance against the mainstream PDP, he revealed the mainstream PDP has offended them in many ways such as the dissolution of elected Executive Committee of the party and “Imposition” of the current one lead by Barr. Tahir Shehu.
Ardo added “In reconstituting the party’s state exco leading to the emergence of the so-called AT Shehu State Exco, all known democratic rules and party guidelines were violated.
He explained; contrary to the party guidelines as obtainable during the Makarfi regime of the Party, eleven members of the Adamawa State Caretaker Committee including AT Shehu himself, simply transmuted into the state Executive committee, thereby denying interested party members from contesting.”
However, when aggrieved members petitioned the National secretary of the development and demanded its reversal, no action was taken.
Other lawful efforts tried by the members to address the illegalities were also ignored by both the Makarfi-led National Caretaker Committee and the present Uche Secondus National Executive Committee.
Subsequently, all effort mounted by their members to have the issue addressed fall on deaf ears, and therefore, both the party and the government they formed have continued to remain illegal and effort to make it follow due process have been ignored, as such they could not reconcile themselves and breaking away was the only last option they had to opt to.
Ardo thereafter announced the constitution of a 12-member interim Executive of the R-PDP for the state, 7-member exco for each local government area of the state, and a 5-member exco for each ward.
“These interim committees will be headed by Alhaji Hammajoda Jauro Gire, a veteran party politician of repute,” Ardo declared.
The members were subsequently sworn in as the new executive members of the R-PDP.
Meanwhile, the police have maintained that the group has remained illegal as they are not a registered group and cannot be covered by the police.
