Katsina PDP crisis: NEC has no power to fill SEC vacancy -Mahuta, Legal Adviser

BY ANDY ASEMOTA, Katsina

The Legal Adviser of Katsina State chapter of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), Barrister M. S. Mahuta, has condemned in strong terms the appointment of a substantive chairman for the branch by the national headquarters of the opposition party on the grounds that it lacks the constitutional power to do so.

Besides, the attorney contended that the appointment of the substantive chairman was uncalled as the erstwhile chairman, Salisu Yusuf Majigiri, only stepped aside to stand for election.

This was the contention of Mahuta, in an exclusive interview with Daily Champion, even as he expressed reservations over the authenticity of the letter purportedly appointing Lawal Magaji as the Katsina PDP substantive chairman.

Recall that last Sunday’s inauguration of Lawal Magaji and his inaugural meeting held amid tight security screen at the party secretariat in Katsina were boycotted by the deputy chairman and embattled acting chairman, Salisu Lawal Ulli among other key stakeholders of the party opposed to Ulli being relieved of the party chairmanship.

Speaking with this reporter on the phone, Mahuta said their absence was based on their conviction that the party national headquarters erred on the grounds of law and caution.

Hear him: “Section 47 of PDP Constitution provides that whenever there is vacancy in the party, the executive at the appropriate level should fill the vacancy. In this case, the vacancy they are purporting to fill is in the State Executive Committee (SEC. So, the appropriate level should be the SEC which  should appoint another person to fill the vacancy from the area or zone where an officer that resigns or dies.

“But the fundamental thing is Majigiri has not resigned. The fact that he is standing for an election does not mean that he has resigned; he just stepping aside leaving his deputy to act, which they (some persons) challenged initially until the national headquarters transmitted a letter and recognized him  (Ulli) as the acting chairman.

“So, the national headquarters does not have the power to appoint anyone to fill the vacancy of a member of the executive committee at the state level just as we at the state level cannot appoint another person to fill the vacancy of any officer at local government level; the local government executive has the power to do that. So also, the ward level. So that is the lacuna.”