From Kenechukwu Obiajuru, Yenagoa
The Zonal Secretary/Acting Chairman of the Bayelsa State Chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Barr. George Turnah has declared that the decision by the Acting National Chairman of the Party, Amb. Umar Damagum to recognize Senator Samuel Anyanwu as National Secretary would heal wounds and calm frayed nerves in the Party.
The Party Chieftain made the assertion on Thursday during a live televised interview on a Nigerian based electronic media station.
Turnah who likened the decision of Amb. Damagum to a pilot who was astray, but finally made a shaky, but safe landing noted that even though some national leaders of the Party have issued statements countering his recognition of Anyanwu, such vituperations can not stop the latter from discharging the duties of his office as he has been functional from the day the Supreme Court declared him as the authentic and only valid Acting Scribe of the Party.
He further noted that earlier, following the seemingly unresolvable issues that befell the Party, many Nigerians have alleged that the party was headed for t he w rocks, just as he was sympathetic of the party’s future even though he was a recommitted leader of the party.
The Bayelsa Party boss affirmed that Nigeria needs a vibrant opposition party as strong and intentional as the PDP for democracy to thrive.
Speaking on the expectations of the party, Turnah said with the formal resolution of the crisis, the party was again set to lead the way as a formidable force in politics, saying Nigerians dearly love the Peoples Democratic Party.
“NEC has no powers not to recognize the National Secretary, Senator Samuel Anyanwu. The only organ of the party that has that right to do so by the virtue of the Party’s constitution is the ‘National Convention’, and that could only happen when a convention is called with the notification of INEC.
“From the day the Supreme Court declared Anyanwu as the authentic National Secretary, of course since then he has been so discharging his duties”, he said.
Meanwhile, Speaking against his alleged suspension by the Bayelsa State Chapter of the Party, Turnah has again denied the existence of any known subsisting suspension against him.
He said, upon hearing that he was suspended by the Party, he appealed to the Zonal Executive which nullified his alleged suspension by the State Working Committee, noting that by virtue of the recently held South-South zonal Executive convention of the Party in Calabar, Cross River State, Dan Orbih, himself and others duly elected remain the authentic zonal Executives of the Party.
He noted that his position in Bayelsa State is that of an acting State Chairman appointed by the Zonal Executive Committee of the Party, pending when substantive State Executive officers will be elected and inaugurated by the Party in the State.
