10 months ago
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The 2023 governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party in Ogun State, Segun Showunmi, through his lawyer, Anderson Asemota, has threatened court action against the opposition party if its National Working Committee failed to call for the National Executive Committee meeting within 48 hours of receiving the pre-trial letter from his lawyer.
Sowunmi, in a letter dated January 16, a copy of which our Correspondent sighted on Wednesday, revealed that the sacked leadership of Sen Iyiorcha Ayu held the last NEC meeting of the party in September 2022.
The PDP chieftain said that this leadership action of the PDP is not only illegal but also inconsistent with the constitution of the party, which instructed that an NEC meeting must be held every quarter of the year.
The letter signed by Barr Anderson Asemota titled “Urgent Need To Call Meeting of National Executive Committee/ Pre-Trial Notice was addressed to both the National Chairman and Secretary of the opposition party in Abuja.
The letter partly reads, “Our client briefed us, and we very believed him that the Peoples Democratic Party National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting was called last by the sacked Chairman of the party, Dr Iyorcha Ayu, on September 8, 2022.
“This ostentatiously reveals that it is now over a year since the party last called and held the NEC meeting, which ought to be held every quarter according to the enshrined PDP’s constitution 2017 as amended.”
Showunmi explained further that, though the party participated in the 2023 general elections as well as the off-cycle governorship elections in Kogi, Imo, and Bayelsa States, the reports of these elections, as well as the mandatory quarterly financial reports, are yet to be presented for any review because the party failed to hold this all-important NEC meeting.
He said the reluctance of the party to hold NEC meetings has also stalled any discussion as to when it will hold its convention next.
The letter further reads, “It is our client’s brief that all efforts to get you called or cause you to hold the NEC meeting have proved abortive as you have deliberately failed, refused, and or neglected to accede to the supplication of our client.
“It is imperative to state that convening the NEC meeting of our party, PDP, will help galvanise and electroplate the proper functioning and decision-making process within the party.
“Our client wishes to state that your failure, refusal, or neglect to call for the NEC meeting is a gross violation of the provisions of the party according to Article 31 (2), (4), and (5), which prescribed that NEC meeting should hold at least quarterly to address critical issues about the party among others.
Showunmi, who is also jostling for the National Chairmanship seat of the party, concluded the letter by asking the party to either call for the NEC meeting within 48 hours of receiving the letter or be dragged to court.
