There appears to be no end in sight of the leadership crisis rocking the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). It took a new turn on Wednesday as Alhaji Ahmed Gulak, the former Special Assistant to President Goodluck Jonathan on political matters declared himself as PDP national chairman.
Gulak made this known to newsmen at the PDP national headquarters, Abuja, at about 1:45 p.m. when he addressed a news conference and announced that he had assumed the position of the party’s national Chairman.
He said that his assumed position was to complete the tenure of Dr Adamu Muazu, from the Northeast, who resigned his position as the national Chairman of the party on May 20, 2015. He said his assumption was in accordance with the an FCT Federal High Court’s judgment on December 16, 2015.
Gulak said:
“The court order on December 16, 2015 was that within 14 days, my humble self or any other person from the North East zone be appointed to replace Dr Adamu Muazu who resigned his position as the national Chairman of our party on May 20, 2015.
“At the expiration of the 14 days the defendants failed, refused or neglected to obey the court orders by appointing me or any other person from the North East zone.
“By operations of the law and the court order, I now assume duty as the National Chairman of our great party, especially as the court has today struck out the motion for stay of execution.
“Base on our sincere commitment and loyalty to our party, we cannot continue to leave our party headless,” Gulak said.
He said failure to assume duty as the national chairman would leave the party’s National Working Committee, the National Executive Council (NEC) and the National Caucus improperly constituted.
He said that his assumption of office was to prepare the ground for the NEC of the party to take the most appropriate decisions.
He maintained that his leadership was willing to partner with all relevant stakeholders on efforts towards the tasks ahead.
“I crave the indulgence of the other NWC members to partner positively with me in our efforts to pick up the pieces and rebuild our party.”
Some of the party’s loyalists who accompanied Gulak to the party Secretariat include Dr Doyin Okupe, the former Special Assistant to Jonathan on Public Affairs and Mr Moshoud Adegoke a former member of the House of Representatives from Lagos State.
-Emmanuel Ikechukwu
