•We can’t work at cross purposes with govt - Tukur
From JULIANA TAIWO-OBALONYE, Abuja
Wednesday April 25 , 2012
From JULIANA TAIWO-OBALONYE, Abuja
Wednesday April 25 , 2012
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Photo: Sun News Publishing
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President Goodluck Jonathan has said he is not above party discipline, hence he should be called to order anytime he deviates from the party’s guidelines. This is even as he urged the newly elected leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), to enforce party discipline.
Meanwhile, the party Chairman, Bamanga Tukur, has said the party could not be repositioned without internal democracy and party discipline. He added the party must ensure the executive are protected and respected, insisting the party must avoid being at cross purpose with government.
He said this when he played host to the new PDP National Working Committee members at the presidential Villa, Abuja, Monday night.
While stressing the need to enforce party discipline from the highest to the lowest level, the President said he is subject to the party, he urged the NWC to ensure that the party chairman takes precedent over the president during party meetings.
“At the gathering of the party, the party, chairman takes precedence in order of protocol. It shows that the president himself is under the chairman. The president cannot be a maximum ruler, the president is selected by the party and must serve the party, not the party serving the president. So, if the president is deviating, the president must be called upon so that all we know that the party is supreme and we must all follow the dictates of the party.
“The party should ensure that members are disciplined and if the party cannot enforce discipline, the PDP will just be operating like a platform for independent candidate. PDP is a political party and as a party, you must have guidelines and no matter the office you are holding, the party must be in a position to discipline or admonish Mr. president if he deviates”
Jonathan, who cited the South Africa’s experience with the African National Congress (ANC), reiterated that the party is superior.
“Nobody in the party from the president to the least person at the ward will be superior to the party. So, you have a lot of challenges in this direction to make sure that you instill that kind of discipline. We will give you maximum cooperation”
Jonathan also called for financial independence, for the party to guarantee its ability to carry out its mandates.
“The other area that you didn’t mention is how the party will be financially independent. We cannot continue to depend on contributions. Yes, members of the party must pay monthly contributions based on our guidelines but then, we must all work to create an avenue where the party will source funding so that if you are the chairman of the party, members of the working committee you can manage the party without excessive influence of people.
Though we expect all money bags to be in PDP, but we don’t want the moneybags to influence the activities of the party and to stop that of course, we must come up with programmes that will make the party self-sustaining in terms of financing.”
“Let me use this opportunity to thank the founding fathers of our great party, few of them were invited for this dinner. Today, we wanted to welcome the new National Working Committee that will be working with us on a daily basis to manage the affairs of PDP. “So, we will continue to encourage this kind of relationship so that the words of advice that our elders have presented to us, we continue to carry them out.
He assured that his cabinet is committed to the principles of the party.
In his remark, the party chieftain, Solomon Lar commended Jonathan for meeting with the new party executive and urged him to remain patriotic, both to the party and Nigerian.
In his remark, Chairman, Convention Committee, Ojo Maduekwe said the party was at the threshold of a new beginning.
Other notable persons present were Vice President Namadi Sambo, Speaker Aminu Tambuwal, Deputy Speaker, Emeka Ihedioha, Dr. Ahmadu Ali, Prince Vincent Ogbulafor, Ghali Na’aba, Tony Anenih and Alhaji Tanko Yakassai.
Meanwhile, the party Chairman, Bamanga Tukur, has said the party could not be repositioned without internal democracy and party discipline. He added the party must ensure the executive are protected and respected, insisting the party must avoid being at cross purpose with government.
He said this when he played host to the new PDP National Working Committee members at the presidential Villa, Abuja, Monday night.
While stressing the need to enforce party discipline from the highest to the lowest level, the President said he is subject to the party, he urged the NWC to ensure that the party chairman takes precedent over the president during party meetings.
“At the gathering of the party, the party, chairman takes precedence in order of protocol. It shows that the president himself is under the chairman. The president cannot be a maximum ruler, the president is selected by the party and must serve the party, not the party serving the president. So, if the president is deviating, the president must be called upon so that all we know that the party is supreme and we must all follow the dictates of the party.
“The party should ensure that members are disciplined and if the party cannot enforce discipline, the PDP will just be operating like a platform for independent candidate. PDP is a political party and as a party, you must have guidelines and no matter the office you are holding, the party must be in a position to discipline or admonish Mr. president if he deviates”
Jonathan, who cited the South Africa’s experience with the African National Congress (ANC), reiterated that the party is superior.
“Nobody in the party from the president to the least person at the ward will be superior to the party. So, you have a lot of challenges in this direction to make sure that you instill that kind of discipline. We will give you maximum cooperation”
Jonathan also called for financial independence, for the party to guarantee its ability to carry out its mandates.
“The other area that you didn’t mention is how the party will be financially independent. We cannot continue to depend on contributions. Yes, members of the party must pay monthly contributions based on our guidelines but then, we must all work to create an avenue where the party will source funding so that if you are the chairman of the party, members of the working committee you can manage the party without excessive influence of people.
Though we expect all money bags to be in PDP, but we don’t want the moneybags to influence the activities of the party and to stop that of course, we must come up with programmes that will make the party self-sustaining in terms of financing.”
“Let me use this opportunity to thank the founding fathers of our great party, few of them were invited for this dinner. Today, we wanted to welcome the new National Working Committee that will be working with us on a daily basis to manage the affairs of PDP. “So, we will continue to encourage this kind of relationship so that the words of advice that our elders have presented to us, we continue to carry them out.
He assured that his cabinet is committed to the principles of the party.
In his remark, the party chieftain, Solomon Lar commended Jonathan for meeting with the new party executive and urged him to remain patriotic, both to the party and Nigerian.
In his remark, Chairman, Convention Committee, Ojo Maduekwe said the party was at the threshold of a new beginning.
Other notable persons present were Vice President Namadi Sambo, Speaker Aminu Tambuwal, Deputy Speaker, Emeka Ihedioha, Dr. Ahmadu Ali, Prince Vincent Ogbulafor, Ghali Na’aba, Tony Anenih and Alhaji Tanko Yakassai.
SSOURCE: The Sun, 25 April 2012. http://sunnewsonline.com/
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