PDP moves to clip govs’ wings in new constitution

From right; Cross River guber candidate, Imoke , VP Namadi Sambo, President Jonathan and Imoke running mate Cobham and other PDP bigwigs at the campaign grand finale.

PROMINENT stakeholders in the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP under the aegis of the national caucus were last night considering a recommendation of the party’s constitutional review committee for the inclusion of a senator and a member of the House of Representatives from each state in the National Executive Committee, NEC  of the party.
The proposal which is expected to be approved by the national caucus is expected to dramatically tilt the balance of power presently in favour of governors towards members of the National Assembly.

The meeting which is holding in the presidential villa under the chairmanship of the national chairman of the party, Alhaji Kawu Baraje has the President and other prominent figures of the party in attendance.
The national legal adviser of the party, Chief Olusola Oke who is also chairman of the party’s Constitution Review Committee, CRC, confirmed the inclusion of the controversial amendment to the constitution in an interview with Vanguard yesterday.
The proposal if accepted would be pushed to the NEC of the party where the governors are expected to make a last minute attempt to stave off the move to cut their influence in the party.
While fighting off the move to expand the membership of the National Assembly in the NEC, the governors had at the same time also been pushing for their inclusion in the influential national caucus of the party.
Speaking with Vanguard, yesterday, after the meeting of the CRC, the PDP National Legal Adviser, Chief Olusola Oke disclosed that members of the National Assembly had wanted a situation where all PDP Senators and members, House of Representatives automatically become members of NEC, but the CRC in its wisdom settled for a member from each of the states.
It will be recalled that the last Constitution which was reviewed in 2009 gave room for only the Senate President, his Deputy, the Senate Leader, Deputy Senate Leader, Chief Whip and Deputy Chief Whip, two Senators from each of the geo-political zones of the country to be members of NEC.
It also allowed for the Speaker, Deputy Speaker, the Leader and Deputy Leader, the Chief Whip, Deputy Chief Whip in the House of Representatives, three members from the House of Representatives from each of the geo-political zones of the country.
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