Gulak
The desire of Ahmed Gulak, former Political Adviser to ex-President Goodluck Jonathan, to become the Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in place of Adamu Mu’azu who resigned after leading the party to defeat in the 2015 general elections, has suffered further setback.
Gulak’s home state of Adamawa has rejected him and nominated Ambassador Wilberforce .Juta, a former Governor of the defunct Gongola State, as it’s choice to replace and complete Mu’azu’s tenure.
However, Gulak has rejected the decision of his home state saying the party as a whole has lost the opportunity to nominate a replacement for Mu’azu, and therefore, he (Gulak) remains the National Chairman of PDP.
It would be recalled that Gulak had won a court case against the PDP for refusing to allow someone from the Northeast occupy the Chairmanship seat of the party since the exit of Mu’azu, with Deputy National Chairman of the party, Uche Secondus occupying the seat in aacting capacity.
Though, the party constitution stipulates a maximum of three months for anyone occupying the position in acting capacity, Secondus has spent more than seven months in the position.
Last Wednesday, Gulak, armed with copies of the court judgement which ousted Secondus, stormed the party secretariat to declare himself the National Chairman of the party, insisting that the 14 days time-frame ordered by the court for the implementation of its order has elapsed.
The rest members of the National Working Committee (NWC) of the party rejected the self declaration made by Gulak, while the governors elected on the platform of the party, quickly put together an emergency meeting in Abuja same day to discuss the issues.
At the end of their meeting, the governors rejected Gulak as National Chairman, while also asking Secondus to vacate office as Acting Chairman and allow the National Secretary, Prof Wale Oladipo to assume control of the party pending when a new candidate will be forwarded to the party by the North-East zone.
The meeting of the North-East zone caucus of the party has been fixed for Tuesday where a new candidate will be picked, while the National Executive Committee (NEC) of the party is slated for Thursday where the nominee from the zone will be ratified and allowed to take office.
Ahead of the Northeast meeting, stakeholders of PDP in Adamawa state met on Thursday and resolved to seek the support of other states in the zone towards ensuring that the seat returns to Adamawa home state of both Mu’azu and Gulak.
However, the Adamawa stakeholders have rejected Gulak as it’s choice of candidate for the replacement, preferring to nominate Ambassador Wilberforce B.Juta, a former Governor of the defunct Gongola State, one of the founding members of the PDP, a member of G34, first National Vice Chairman( North East) of the Party and currently a member of its Board of Trustee for the post of the National Chairman of PDP.
The decision to pick Ambassador Juta was contained in a letter signed by Chief Joel Hammanjoda Madaki, Chairman, PDP, Adamawa State copied to the National Vice Chairman, PDP, North East and copied to Acting National Chairman, PDP, Uche Secondus.
The letter reads; “The State Working Committee of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Adamawa State Chapter after due consultation with party Stakeholders in the State and beyond, and having thoroughly deliberated intensively on the issue of the position of the National Chairman of the party has resolved as follows:
“That, it is imperative the PDP resuscitates itself as a key political party for the purpose of both proffering effective opposition and an alternative platform to ruling APC Government.
“That, such a repositioning need the support of the people as well as a strong experienced and rose tanks personally with impeccable integrity to lead the party as its National Chairman.
“That, it is in the best interest of the PartyCha in the State that the position of the National Chairman of the PDP returns to Adamawa State.
“That, it is hereby resolved to support the candidature of Ambassador Wilberforce B.Juta, a former Governor of the defunct Gongola State, one of the founding me,bears of the PDP, a member of G34, first National Vice Chairman( North East) of the Party and currently a member of its Board of Trustee for the called post of the National Chairman of PDP.
“That, it is our conviction therefore, that Amb. Juta can well deliver in this onerous assignment.
“That, the Party( PDP) is calling up on all other interested members to patriotically lay down their personal ambition for the heightened interests of the Party in Adamawa State.
“That, the State Working Committee of the PDP in Adamawa State commends the efforts of those who stood up to be counted in this noble goal of salvaging the Party. and taken after wide and extensive consultations is in the best interest of our great party and Adamawa State
“That, we believe this decision taken after a wide and extensive consultations, is in the best interest of our great Party and Adamawa”.
However, Gulak has described as laughable the moves being made by the party to submit a replacement for Mu’azu, insisting that the party as a whole has lost the chance to fulfil the 14-days ultimatum given to it by the court to bring a replacement from the northeast.
He insisted that having declared himself the chairman of the party, he remains the leader of the party.
He said if anything to the contrary was done by the party, he will head to court once again to challenge the action of the party for its refusal to. Recognise him as the party chairman.
He spoke through Honourable Bernard Mikko.
Mikko said:” The party was given 14 days to bring another person from the Northeast and it failed to do that. So, the window to do that has elapsed. Anything they do now will be challenged.
“Why did they have to wait for Gulak to activate the process?
“This is where they are in fault. Why did the governors of Taraba and Gombe not call a meeting of the North-east and nominate a candidate? They had seven months after the resignation of Ahmed Adamu Mu’azu to do this but they refused.
“The North-east shouldn’t think the entire party will be subjected to their whims and caprices.”
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