Text of Press Conference Delivered by
Dr. Umar Ardo at the end of a Meeting of Adamawa State PDP Elders and
Stakeholders held at the Residence of Prof. Jibril Aminu, Sunday, 30th December,
2012.
Preamble:
In view of the prevailing political situation in Adamawa state, specifically
in relation to the ongoing PDP Congresses, and the challenge against the
process emanating from the Adamawa State Government, the state PDP Elders and major
Stakeholders Forum summoned a crucial meeting to deliberate on the state of the
party with a view to protecting its interest against any act capable of
destabilizing the party or disrupting the current redemptive exercise as
approved by the NWC.
After exhaustive deliberations, the Forum came up with the
following resolutions:-
1.
That the current congresses taking place in
the state represent the best form of resolving the crisis bedeviling the party
in the state for the past 6 years;
2.
That the
members of the PDP in Adamawa state have explicit confidence in the Caretaker Committee
in the state headed by Amb. Umar Damagum and the structure it put in place in
conducting free, fair, transparent and credible congresses. We seize this
opportunity to thank the Chairman of our great party, Alh. Bamanga Tukur, and
members of the NWC for their firm stance to see that the Adamawa issue is
resolved through the current democratic process taking place in the state. We
also thank the President of the country for standing by the side of truth and
justice. Also worth thanking are members of the security enforcement agencies,
especially the Army, Police and the SSS. Like in Egypt, these agencies stood
aside and refused to be dragged by the forces of darkness to go against the
people;
3.
That it noted
with pleasure the enthusiasm displayed by the people of the state in turning
out massively to elect the party leadership at the ward level last Thursday, 27th
December, 2012. We thank the people for achieving such a feat in spite of the
obvious threat to the exercise by the state government and call upon them to
also come out likewise next Thursday for the Local Government election;
4.
That we note
with serious concern, the clandestine forces unleashed on the people aimed at
thwarting the mandate given to the Caretaker Committee headed by Amb. Damagum.
These forces have intensified their efforts to sabotage and prevent the
democratic process in the state;
5.
That having earlier
failed to get the courts to stop the PDP from undergoing its reform in the
state, and having also attempted in vain to burn down the PDP State
Secretariat, and also having failed to intimidate the people through an illegal
ban on political activities in the state, in desperation these forces are now
trying to use the instrumentality of state to corruptly engage the judiciary in
their hopeless attempt to stall the current democratic process;
6.
We have it on
good authority that the intention of the state government to appoint an Acting
Chief Judge for the State is in violation of Section 271 (1) of the
constitution of Nigeria which states that a judicial office is a career
progression appointment based on seniority on the bench. Unless such a judicial
officer is manifestedly unable to discharge the duties of his or her office,
such an officer cannot be sidelined in favour of a junior officer;
7.
That with the
present situation in Adamawa it would seem that there is more to the
appointment of an Acting Chief Judge from among the junior judicial officers on
the bench than meets the eye. Clearly, such an appointment is not only
unconstitutional but is a direct disregard to the recommendation of the Chief
Justice of the Federation, Chief Justice Aloma Mariam Muktar, GCON, as
contained in her letter to the State Governor dated 29th October, 2012.
In the letter the Honourable Chief Justice of the federation specifically
requested the Governor to forward the name of Justice B.P. Lawi, the most
senior judge in the state, for appointment as substantive Chief Judge of
Adamawa state and forward to her office the date of his confirmation and
swearing-in; and
8.
This very
singular act of violation of the constitution and disregard of the directive of
the Chief Justice of the Federation is a clear frantic act of getting a
surrogate judge who will be used to thwart the cause of justice in the state,
and specifically coming at this critical time of our party transformation, aimed
at scuttling the current PDP democratic congresses in the state.
In conclusion, the essence of this press conference is to bring to
light such alarming antics of the state government towards destroying the cause
of democracy in Adamawa State in particular and the nation at large. We call
upon all the good people and Nigerians to resist and reject such acts of
executive lawlessness which is deliberately aimed at throwing the state into
crisis. The Nigerian Constitution has invested all sovereignty into the hands
of the people, and not the government. As they say, a stitch in time saves
nine; and to be forewarned is to be forearmed.
