By Emmanuel Aziken, Political Editor

The Civil War in PDP

Last Wednesday’s petulant move by some stakeholders in the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP to forcefully take over the leadership of the party was another unwelcome development that sincere stakeholders in the party would have prayed never happened. But yes it did, capping days of unpalatable activities affecting the party.

With party spokesman, Olisa Metuh locked away and still unable to meet bail conditions set under his ongoing trial, the party’s determination to forge unity in the face of its multifarious challenges was severely breached by Ahmed Gulak’s move. But where Gulak is coming from remains a thing of mystery to many party followers.

Gulak it would be recalled was the President Goodluck Jonathan special adviser on political matters who while in office abused opponents of the administration and praised Jonathan to the high heavens but was alleged to have backtracked after being sacked from office.

His move to forcefully takeover the office of National Chairman of the PDP upon a court order edging out the Acting National Chairman, Prince Uche Secondus was akin to a civilian coup that was immediately rebuffed by the party’s governors who asked the National Secretary, Prof. Wale Oladipo to take over the leadership of the party.

Now, the difficult puzzle for the PDP and its governors is what becomes of Secondus? Does he go back to his substantive position as the deputy national chairman? If he does so, Total Chair as he is called would find himself becoming second to the national secretary who is number three man, in the exco.

Remarkably, Secondus is not giving in to the nudge of the governors as the resolution of the governors was immediately rebuffed by the National Working Committee, NWC which immediately countered saying that the party leadership would not take instruction from governors.

President Obasanjo on point on spendthrift legislators

Whatever you may say of former President Olusegun Obasanjo, he is not one that talks carelessly. His utterances out of power have mostly been felt at the seat of power. Now his assertion of corruption in government is being felt especially hot in another nexus of power, the legislature. President Obasanjo was on point in his assertion in a letter to presiding officers of the National Assembly that the move by the legislators to procure almost 500 brand new vehicles was an act of corruption.

Having received car loans as recommended by the Revenue Mobilisation, Allocation and Fiscal Commission, RMAFC, the legislators are ingeniously seeking to purchase state of the art vehicles supposedly for committee work. With Naira reeling from the weight of imported luxuries, the wasteful act of procuring about 500 vehicles from abroad would be of no help to the Naira. So scornful are the legislators of the Naira that they would not even contemplate using the locally assembled Innoson brand of vehicles!

Not a wacky Wike

All those who did not take Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State as a serious person on account of the circumstances that brought him to power are bound to have a rethink following his eventful affirmation by the Supreme Court as the winner of the Rivers State governorship election. While many of those against him were preparing for the expected rerun, Wike out of stone, won a positive judgment for himself. How it happened would continue to daze his political antagonists who are bound to give more attention to his political gyrations. Indeed, no one would ever look down on the governor again!