Council urges NWC to address crisis rocking PDP

The Katsina State Peoples Democratic Party Advisory Council has called for the intervention of the party National Working Committee (NWC) in addressing the crisis rocking the state chapter of the party.

Mr. Ibrahim Tafashiya, member of the Katsina State PDP Caretaker Committee, made the appeal at a news conference on the affairs of the party in the state on Wednesday in Abuja.

Tafashiya also urged the party leaders to intervene in the alleged denial of party members’ access to purchase nomination forms for the upcoming PDP congress in the state.

He said that a delegation ofsome aspirants from Katsina, Dutsinma, Malumfashi, Funtua, Mashi, Kankia, and Katsina LGAs were at the state party secretariat to purchase forms, but no party official attended to them.

This, according to Tafashiya, made the aspirants accuse the committee of a plan to hijack the forms to favour one single individual and to evade selling the same to other aspirants.

“We have collected about 7,101 members willing to purchase the forms so as to participate in the upcoming congresses but have been deprived access to purchase the forms.

“We are here at the national headquarters only to be informed that the forms were with the caretaker committee chairman about three weeks ago.

“We are therefore appealing for the intervention of the NWC to resolve the matter for the progress, development, and success of the PDP,’’ he said.

He said while they were in Abuja at the PDP national secretariat to purchase the forms, they could not meet anybody, hence the need to call for appropriate and proper action on the matter.

Tafashiya also alleged that there was a disconnect between some members of the caretaker committee and the chairman, Alhaji Musa Karim.

He said that the state chapter of the party was in jeopardy as a result of the maladministration of its affairs by the caretaker committee leadership.

He said since the release of the timetable and guidelines for the 2024 ward, local government and state congresses have taken certain proactive procedural measures that should have been put in place for the exercise to be successful, but nothing has been done.

“Since the period preceding the 2023 general election, there has been division among the ranks of leadership and followership of the party in Katsina State.

“More especially, almost all the 2023 Campaign Management Council that worked tirelessly during campaign exercise were at the receiving end of such maltreatment,’’ he said.

He said that the caretaker committee chairman did nothing to reconcile the divisions within the PDP in Katsina State.

He said that the first activity preceding congress to elect party officials was always the membership drive and update of the membership register before the sale of forms.

This, according to him, was not done “even as of this time.

“Specifically, these issues relate to the 361 wards, 34 local governments, and 39 state exco aspirants for Katsina State,’’ he said.

Tafashiya therefore urged the NWC of the PDP to take immediate and drastic measures to resolve the crises and complaints.

He also urged the party national leaders to ensure that due process was adhered to in the sale of the forms.

“Also in the general conduct of the upcoming congresses and the general running of the affairs of the party for unity, peace, progress, and the success of the party.

“While thanking the NWC for discharging their duties diligently in order for the PDP to propose,. All we are asking for is a level playing field,’’ he said.