Lucky Obukohwo Reporting
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has gone from bad to worse over the weekend as the State Working Committee (SWC) in Bayelsa State and the Ogbia ward nine executives of the party are in for a show down over the suspension of the acting zonal secretary, Mr George Turnah.
Turnah, until Saturday, February 15, was the zonal legal adviser, but was appointed to replace Chief Felix Omemu, as the zonal secretary, following the latter’s suspension by the Zonal Executive Council for gross misconduct.
Turnah’s emergence as the acting zonal secretary replacing Omemu who is also from Bayelsa State, was said to have unsettled some top members of the party leading to his suspension.
At an emergency SWC meeting presided over by the party Chairman, Solomon Agwana, the Committee unanimously voted to suspend Turnah from all party activities for one month for committing acts of gross misconduct against the party.
The SWC, while stating that its decision was premised on the PDP Constitution as provided in Section 57(3), 58 (1) (h), and 59 (4), added that it would take further steps to refer the matter to the appropriate disciplinary committee to handle within the period of his suspension.
It advised the party at all levels to desist from dealing with Turnah in any manner whatsoever as a member of the party until the matter is resolved.
However, in a swift reaction, the PDP Ogbia Ward executive has rejected Turnah’s suspension declaring that it was in breach of the party’s constitution.
Progress Ederi and 16 members of the PDP Ogbia ward nine executives who are challenging Turnah’s suspension declared him as the leader of the ward.
The ward executives, therefore, endorsed his appointment as the zonal secretary and expressed confidence in his ability to perform.
“We, therefore, pass a vote of confidence on the person of George Turnah and pledge our unalloyed support and loyalty to his leadership and office.
“By the Constitution of the Peoples Democratic Party, only the ward executive committee can suspend the membership of Turnah, and not the state working committee.
“We, therefore, reject and condemn the purported suspension by the Bayelsa State Working Committee of the party as they do not possess any such powers under the Constitution of the party to suspend an officer higher in rank than all of them in the State Working Committee.
“We view the purported suspension of the acting Zonal Secretary by his juniors in office as a reckless act done in brazen breach of the party’s constitution. We call on higher organs of the party to note this breach of the party’s constitution by the Bayelsa State Working Committee and take appropriate action”, the statement said.