The Peoples Democratic Party has read the Riot
Act to all elected representatives and other members of the party
against the scourge of indiscipline considered inimical to the
realisation of its objectives.
The acting chairman of the party, Alhaji Haliru Bello, said that the long history of indiscipline in the PDP was responsible for the noticeable drop in the party’s fortunes in the April general elections.
Although the PDP, which produced the President, has control of 23 out of the 36 states in the federation, 24 state houses of assembly and decisive majority of seats in the two chambers of the National Assembly, the party lost five states and several seats in the national and state legislatures.
The five states lost by the PDP in the last election are Nasarawa, Ogun, Oyo, Zamfara and Imo.
Also, President Goodluck Jonathan said on Friday that all members of the PDP must subject themselves to the ethos of loyalty, internal democracy and party discipline, which according to him, are inevitable even as he harped on effective collaboration between the executive, the legislature and the party’s leadership in the interest of the country.
Jonathan said that the PDP leadership would introduce and enforce reforms to ensure that the condemnable acts of indiscipline perpetrated by individuals or groups against the collective position of the party were put under check.
He said, “Therefore, the reforms to transform the polity must begin at home. We must all work together to subject our party to the much needed reform so that it can position itself for the great task ahead.
“We must democratise our decision-making process so that party’s decision would be easier to enforce. We must consult more, build consensus and take decisions in the best interest of our country and our party.”
The President and Bello hinted at the party’s readiness to confront the scourge of indiscipline in its fold while speaking at a two-day retreat for the President, governors and National Assembly members-elect in Abuja on Friday.
The PDP chairman said that the PDP lost in some of the states and the National Assembly because of acts of indiscipline occasioned by the decision of some party members to dishonour party directives.
He said that the PDP would not allow such acts that could threaten its unity, cohesion and effectiveness.
Haliru urged all elected members to note the crucial importance of party discipline and supremacy, stressing that the two must be reflected in the working relationship between the executive and the legislature.
He urged the elected members to ensure a strict adherence to party guidelines and decisions, stressing that the PDP would rather have a small party with potential for increase in its membership than to have a gathering of people without control and discipline.
He said, “It is regrettable that our party has for too long been bedevilled by a history of indiscipline. This caused us dearly in the recent elections.
“We lost states and seats, needlessly because of the failure of some of our members to play according to the rules. Surely, we cannot allow individuals and groups to do what they like and undermine our unity, cohesion and effectiveness.
“Henceforth, we shall no longer condone acts of indiscipline in our party. It is better to have a small cohesive and disciplined party with potential for growth than a large and amorphous one with unruly members.
“I wish to believe that all our elected members know the value of party discipline and party supremacy; we must bring this to bear in the working relationship between the executive and the legislature in the next four years.”
He said that adherence to party rules and obedience to its decisions would ensure a reduction of frictions and conflicts to the minimum.
He urged all elected representatives to imbibe a culture of effective cooperation between the legislature and executive which he insisted could be achieved through adherence to the party manifesto and recognition of the party’s supremacy.
On the forthcoming local government election, Jonathan challenged state electoral bodies to ensure the conduct of elections that could be adjudged to be free, fair and credible.
He said the society could only be developed with the election of people of “outstanding integrity and credibility’ out to render selfless service to the society.
Meanwhile, some lawmakers who arrived at the International Conference Centre venue of the retreat after the arrival of Jonathan were locked out.
Among those who were refused entry by security operatives was the only senator elected under the umbrella of the PDP from the South-West, Hosea Agboola. Also, several journalists who arrived at the venue between 8.30 am and 9 am were disallowed from entering the venue.
Some of the affected lawmakers were later allowed in as the President insisted on attending the retreat rather than just attending the opening ceremony.
By Fidelis Soriwei, Abuja Courtesy Of: Punch
The acting chairman of the party, Alhaji Haliru Bello, said that the long history of indiscipline in the PDP was responsible for the noticeable drop in the party’s fortunes in the April general elections.
Although the PDP, which produced the President, has control of 23 out of the 36 states in the federation, 24 state houses of assembly and decisive majority of seats in the two chambers of the National Assembly, the party lost five states and several seats in the national and state legislatures.
The five states lost by the PDP in the last election are Nasarawa, Ogun, Oyo, Zamfara and Imo.
Also, President Goodluck Jonathan said on Friday that all members of the PDP must subject themselves to the ethos of loyalty, internal democracy and party discipline, which according to him, are inevitable even as he harped on effective collaboration between the executive, the legislature and the party’s leadership in the interest of the country.
Jonathan said that the PDP leadership would introduce and enforce reforms to ensure that the condemnable acts of indiscipline perpetrated by individuals or groups against the collective position of the party were put under check.
He said, “Therefore, the reforms to transform the polity must begin at home. We must all work together to subject our party to the much needed reform so that it can position itself for the great task ahead.
“We must democratise our decision-making process so that party’s decision would be easier to enforce. We must consult more, build consensus and take decisions in the best interest of our country and our party.”
The President and Bello hinted at the party’s readiness to confront the scourge of indiscipline in its fold while speaking at a two-day retreat for the President, governors and National Assembly members-elect in Abuja on Friday.
The PDP chairman said that the PDP lost in some of the states and the National Assembly because of acts of indiscipline occasioned by the decision of some party members to dishonour party directives.
He said that the PDP would not allow such acts that could threaten its unity, cohesion and effectiveness.
Haliru urged all elected members to note the crucial importance of party discipline and supremacy, stressing that the two must be reflected in the working relationship between the executive and the legislature.
He urged the elected members to ensure a strict adherence to party guidelines and decisions, stressing that the PDP would rather have a small party with potential for increase in its membership than to have a gathering of people without control and discipline.
He said, “It is regrettable that our party has for too long been bedevilled by a history of indiscipline. This caused us dearly in the recent elections.
“We lost states and seats, needlessly because of the failure of some of our members to play according to the rules. Surely, we cannot allow individuals and groups to do what they like and undermine our unity, cohesion and effectiveness.
“Henceforth, we shall no longer condone acts of indiscipline in our party. It is better to have a small cohesive and disciplined party with potential for growth than a large and amorphous one with unruly members.
“I wish to believe that all our elected members know the value of party discipline and party supremacy; we must bring this to bear in the working relationship between the executive and the legislature in the next four years.”
He said that adherence to party rules and obedience to its decisions would ensure a reduction of frictions and conflicts to the minimum.
He urged all elected representatives to imbibe a culture of effective cooperation between the legislature and executive which he insisted could be achieved through adherence to the party manifesto and recognition of the party’s supremacy.
On the forthcoming local government election, Jonathan challenged state electoral bodies to ensure the conduct of elections that could be adjudged to be free, fair and credible.
He said the society could only be developed with the election of people of “outstanding integrity and credibility’ out to render selfless service to the society.
Meanwhile, some lawmakers who arrived at the International Conference Centre venue of the retreat after the arrival of Jonathan were locked out.
Among those who were refused entry by security operatives was the only senator elected under the umbrella of the PDP from the South-West, Hosea Agboola. Also, several journalists who arrived at the venue between 8.30 am and 9 am were disallowed from entering the venue.
Some of the affected lawmakers were later allowed in as the President insisted on attending the retreat rather than just attending the opening ceremony.
By Fidelis Soriwei, Abuja Courtesy Of: Punch
No comments:
Post a Comment