The
Peoples Democratic Party has administered an oath of secrecy to its members of
staff as part of its efforts to control the flow of information in and outside
the party.
The
compulsory oath, which took many of the workers by surprise, was supervised on
Thursday by the Acting National Secretary of the party, Chief Solomon Onwe.
Some
of the workers, who spoke with our correspondent on Sunday, complained about
the oath, which they said was aimed at victimising perceived enemies by some
leaders of the party.
They
said that some members of the National Working Committee of the PDP were not
happy with them and had been doing everything possible to replace them with
their loyalists.
The
workers claimed that Onwe told them that anyone suspected to be fraternising
with journalists might be summarily dismissed if the party found out that a
piece of information was leaked by any of them.
One
of the workers said, “On Thursday, we swore to an oath of secrecy which the
party said was meant to control the flow of information at its secretariat.
“We
were also warned to stay away from you people (journalists) and that anyone of
us who fraternised with you could be sacked without any query.
“You
will recollect that a cleaner was sacked few months ago for telling reporters
that they (cleaners) were being owed five months’ salaries. That is the kind of
treatment they say awaits some of us, including directors, if they suspect that
we are close to you people (journalists).”
But
another member of staff said they were not surprised with the attitude of the
NWC members, whom he accused of being desperate to fill the secretariat with
their cronies.
“You
can see their retinue of aides. None of the former NWC members had the number
of aides these present NWC members have,” he added.
Efforts
to speak with both Onwe and the National Publicity Secretary of the party,
Chief Olisa Metuh, on the issue were not successful.
They
neither picked their calls nor responded to text messages sent to their
telephones
In
a veiled reference to the happenings in the party, its National Chairman,
Alhaji Bamanga Tukur, said the PDP needed to maintain discipline and good
conduct among its members. Tukur stated this in a statement which he signed in
Abuja on Sunday.
He
said the leadership of the PDP did not harbour any malice against any of its
members.
Tukur
said, “We harbour no malice against any member. We only do not want to be a
flock without a Shephard. If we are not disciplined as a party, we certainly
may not be able to produce the most progressive government in line with the
greatest expectation of every Nigerian and the rest of the world.”
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