•Abducted Edo chair regains freedom after 11 days in captivity
Chuks Okocha in Abuja and Adibe Emenyonu in Benin City
The National Working Committee (NWC) of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), yesterday, served notice to 26 states party Chairmen whose tenure of offices have expired or would be expiring soon.
This came as the kidnapped chairman of the party in Edo State, Tony Azigbeme, has been released by his abductors
Giving notice to the state party chairmen, National Organising Secretary of the party, Umar Bature, said, “We are here to review the tenure of about 26 states, in terms of ward, local government and State.
“If you recall most of the current executives in the states were elected four years ago, where Congress were conducted on a staggered basis due to the COVID-19 issues.
“We have about four-five states that their tenure has expired from the ward to the state, that is Edo, Bayelsa, Gombe and Rivers State, there are others which are staggered. So in order not to Create vacuum or go into crisis, that is why we have called this meeting.
“Also, we have issues and crisis in these states we decided to call you for this meeting to interact with you on the way forward pending when the NEC will seat and decide on all these,” he explained.
According to Bature, “Also, if there are vacancies due to death and resignation, please don’t replace any name, don’t fix another person for issues that will come up latter. If this meeting decides that everybody will go as caretaker, leave the EXCO the way they are.
“After the elections we expected the state chapters to give us their reports, that is the post 2023 election result. A lot of the states have not submitted their reports and we need those reports to be compiled for the next NEC meeting.”
On the internal crisis rocking the party, he said there were lots of agitations coming from party members, and advised that some members be suspended.
“Suspend this, suspend that, you are the ones that are in charge of those states. You are to tell us who did anti-party and who did not do anti-party, based on that, NEC will take decision. Write to us and tell us what transpired, no matter what happened,” he said.
Meanwhile, Aziegbemi, chairman of the Edo PDP, has been released from captivity.
On March 15, Aziegbemi was kidnapped at the GRA area of Benin city, Edo State, while returning from a meeting with Godwin Obaseki, Governor of Edo.
The kidnappers reportedly contacted the family of the PDP chair to demand the sum of N500 million as ransom.
But in the early hours of yesterday, Aziegbemi reunited with his family after he was released.
In a statement by Clem Aziegbemi, released on behalf of the family, the PDP leader was released unhurt.
“As a member of the Aziegbemi family, we say thank you all for your great show of love and solidarity with us all through the period of the abduction of our beloved son, brother, cousin, and leader, Dr Tony Aziegbemi.
“Thank you, all… We are most grateful for all your valuable contributions through prayers and steadfastness. God bless,” he said.
