PRESS STATEMENT

Putting The Record Straight

The attention of the Caretaker Committee of the Peoples Democratic Party in Niger state has been drawn to some misleading information in circulation in some quarters about the outcome of a recent meeting held at the instance of the Governor of Benue state, Samuel Ortom to mediate and broker peace and understanding amongst members of our great party in Niger state following divergence in members' support lines over party's state chairmanship contest.

The meeting in Abuja, though one sided, was a mediatory. It was to discuss with the parties and make suggestions on the way forward.

Invitation to the meeting was at the instance of the complainants and because of the lope sided composition, the complainants had pressed for a change of the leadership of the party's Caretaker Committee in Niger state.

It is pertinent to explain here that neither the convener of the meeting nor the zonal Chairman of the PDP in the North Central region has any executive power to dissolve what was constituted by the NationalWorking Committee, (NWC) of the Peoples Democratic Party.

The meeting in Abuja which was chaired by Governor Samuel Ortom can only advice the parties concerned and make suggestions which it did based on what one party had canvassed for.

It is therefore misleading and wrong for anyone to peddle any self seeking, one sided wish.

The leader of the meeting had suggested that from what the meeting was told, there was the need both the Chairman and Secretary of the Caretaker Committee in the state to be replaced with persons from outside Niger state. This was his advice.

Anyone or group who have gone on air with any other information beyond the mere suggestion given by the convener of the meeting, have only acted his or her own script as expression (s) of their inordinate mindset.

The party's Caretaker Committee in the state remains resolute to discharge its responsibilities as mandated to it. The Caretaker Committee was set up pursuant to Sections 29 (2) (b) and 31 (2) (e) of our party’s constitution as
amended in 2017.

I must say here too that the
Caretaker Committee appointed by the party's National Executive Committee is the only organ that can dissolve the Caretaker Committee.

For the avoidance of doubt and to assuage any fear and suspicion, the Caretaker Committee is to only supervise the election. The Caretaker Committee is being guided strictly by the party's 2010 Electoral Act as contained in PDP's Constitution, (2017 as amended) which is also in line with the provisions of the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

The conduct of the forthcoming congress and election in the state is purely the responsibility of the National Electoral Committee appointed by NEC of our great party.

We in the Caretaker Committee hereby reaffirm our commitment to be fair to all in ensuing that the aspirations of all peace loving members of our party for a level playing field is not only put in place but guaranteed.

I therefore urge all members of our great party, across Niger state, to discountenance the spurious and unfounded misinformation about the purported sack of the state's Caretaker Committee as the story is the shades of the pigments of the wishes of it's purveyors.

Umar Garba Chiza,
Chairman, Caretaker Committee,
PDP, Niger State

cc: mynd44