NWC to lift suspension on Elumelu, others, as PDP finally resolves House Minority Caucus leadership crisis

Hon. Ndudi Elumelu.

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has resolved the crisis among its members in the House of Representatives over the leadership of the minority caucus.

Report has it that the issue featured at a meeting between the party’s National Working Committee (NWC) and other leaders of the party on Wednesday in Abuja where the gathering resolved to pardon members who allegedly worked against its choice of Hon. Kingsley Chinda as the minority leader.

According to the report, the main opposition party will soon lift the suspension slammed on the House Minority Leader, Hon. Ndudi Elumelu, and his group in consonance with the new development

It could be recall that Crisis hit the main opposition party when Hon. Ndudi Elumelu, Hon. Wole Oke, Hon. Lynda Ikpeazu, Hon. Anayo Edwin, Hon. Gideon Gwadi, Hon. Toby Okechukwu and Hon. Adekoya Abdul-Majid, on July 9, 2019, emerged minority leaders of the House, against the choices of the party.

Elumelu and his group were subsequently suspended for alleged indiscipline, insubordination and disobedience to party’s directives.

It was reported that the meeting which was called to discuss the need for the PDP lawmakers to present a united front on electoral reforms and amendment of the Electoral Act, provided an opportunity for the resolutions of the year-long crisis over the House minority caucus leadership.

A chieftain of the party who attended the meeting revealed that one of the issues discussed at the meeting was the resolution of the controversy over the emergence of Hon. Ndudi Elumelu as the House minority leader and added that the NWC had earlier set up a panel chaired by Sokoto State Governor, Hon. Aminu Tambuwal, to use his experience as a former House Speaker to make PDP lawmakers close ranks and to recommend to the NWC how to resolve the dispute.

According to the report, Hon. Kingsley Chinda, however, appealed to the meeting to lift the suspension on Elumelu and others, based on the fact that PDP cannot present a united front during the debate and public hearing on the amendment to the Electoral Act, if the crisis is not resolved.

The meeting, therefore, resolved to get the party’s National Working Committee (NWC) to implement the resolution.

 “PDP lawmakers in the House of Representatives are to work together as one strong opposition.

“They’re to work together and fight and promote electoral reforms so that the will of the people is not frustrated by security agencies.

“The chairman of governors’ forum to be informed on decisions taken here today and given two weeks to address same in line with resolutions taken here today,” the Party Chieftain said

It was learnt that the NWC would meet in the next one week to decide whether or not to lift the suspension on the Elumelu group.

Another issue discussed at the NWC meeting with House of Representatives members was how to ensure that the PDP caucus in the National Assembly press for electoral reform, especially ensuring that the amended Electoral Act that was not signed by President Muhammadu Buhari in 2019, was recalled and updated.

“The party charged members to work toward electoral reform, especially the review of the Electoral Act that was not endorsed by Mr. President should be brought forward and ensure it includes the current exigencies, including COVID-19,” the report stated.