House Minority Leadership: Ayu’s Committee Grills Elumelu, Others

House Minority Leadership: Ayu’s Committee Grills Elumelu, Others

Chuks Okocha in Abuja

The committee set up by the Board of Trustees (BoT) of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to resolve the minority leadership crisis rocking the House of Representatives yesterday grilled the Ndudi Elumelu-led minority principal officers of the green chamber.

The committee is headed by the former Senate President, Dr. Iyuchua Ayu.

Other members of the committee are former Senate presidents – Senator Adolphus Wabara and Senator David Mark; a former deputy Senate President, Senator Ibrahim Mantu; and a former Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Austin Opara.

THISDAY gathered that all the members of the committee were present at the meeting.

The meeting, which took place at a private residence in Maitama, Abuja, was attended by over 80 PDP members of the House of Representatives who came in a convoy of three buses, several cars in solidarity with Elumelu and his group.

Some of the members of the House who came to the meeting told journalists that they thronged Ayu’s residence because the issue at stake was not a problem for Elumelu alone, but the concern of all lawmakers elected on the platform of the main opposition party.

“This issue is not about Elumelu alone but about all of us. So, we are here to show our support for all of us, believing that at the end of the day, the party would be stronger,” said one of the lawmakers.

At the end of the meeting, the chairman of the committee, Ayu told journalists that it was an elders’ meeting to resolve a family affair.

“This is a meeting of elders of our party. We are here to resolve a family affair,”Ayu
said.

Another member who did not want to be quoted, said that before the meeting that they had met and resolved that the outcome of the intervention would make the party stronger to avoid factionalising the party.

“Whatever we do, peace is at the back of our mind. We will tow the path of reconciliation and peace. This will make our party stronger and united,” he said.

A statement was circulated during the meeting stating that the PDP House of Representatives from the South-west endorsed Hon. Adesegun Adekoya as the deputy minority whip.

The setting up of the five-man committee headed by Ayu was one of the key decisions taken at an enlarged meeting of the party’s BoT and NWC in Abuja on Wednesday.

Related Articles