Reps summon ministers over seized assets
• Anything can happen to zoning, says Wabara
THE House of Representatives Ad hoc Committee on Abandoned Properties, yesterday, summoned the Minister of Federal Capital Territory ( FCT), Mohammed Bello, to account for seized properties in his domain. Also summoned over the issue is the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of the Federation ( AGF), Abubakar Malami ( SAN) and the Auditor General of the Federation ( AUGF).
The Ademorin Kuye- led panel reiterated the need to raise money from the assets to fund the 2021 budget. It expressed dissatisfaction with the explanation offered by the Acting Director of Asset Forfeiture and Recovery Management of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission ( EFCC), Aliyu Yusuf.
AFTER months of tension and restiveness in the Uche Secondus- led Peoples Democratic Party ( PDP) National Working Committee ( NWC), reprieve came its way yesterday.
The party’s Board of Trustees ( BOT) rose from an emergency meeting in Abuja, declaring full support for the NWC.
It assured members that the working committee would be supported fully in all its operations, particularly the preparation for the planned December 2021 national convention during which PDP would elect its next national officers.
Secretary to the Board of Trustees and former Senate President, Adolphus Wabara, who presided over the meeting said it was convened because of heightened political and economic tension in the country as well as the need to put Nigerians on the alert about PDP’S move to return to power at the centre.
Wabara said the board resolved “to ensure that fluent and uninterrupted operation of all the organs of the party, particularly the NWC, remains in place, leading up to a successful convention in December.”
According to him, the board will also ensure harmonious relations exist between the organs of the party and among members.
On zoning of positions, Wabara said: “Although it is guaranteed by the party’s constitution, political exigencies may dictate otherwise. When it comes to political exigencies, you will realise that anything can happen. That is why we can amend our constitution at will to win an election.
“I cannot place my finger on this zoning thing, I don’t have the authority. The relevant organs of the party will come up with its position when the time comes.”
Another member of the BOT and former deputy Senate President, Ibrahim Mantu, said: “Zoning is in the PDP constitution, it is a party matter.”
For a former Foreign Affairs Minister, Tom Ikimi, “it is still too early for PDP at this time to declare its position on zoning.”
Expressing the hope that PDP would return to power in 2023, the BOT said: “With a determination to do all that is necessary to ensure that we fulfill the overwhelming desire of the vast majority of Nigerians that the PDP regains national power in 2023, we are unequivocally committed to ensuring that normalcy and peace prevail through all the organs of the party to permit development and implementation of well structured plans.”
On the crises rocking some çhapters of the party, particularly in the South West zone, the BOT said it had all it takes to resolve them.