Posted by By OLAWALE RASHEED on
THE crisis rocking the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is taking a personal tone as the wife of Chief Solomon Lar who is serving as Nigeria's Ambassador.....
THE crisis rocking the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is taking a personal tone as the wife of Chief Solomon Lar who is serving as Nigeria's Ambassador to one of the European countries is reportedly facing a sack threat from the Federal Government.
Nigerian Tribune findings revealed that many top people within both the government and the PDP were not happy with the refusal of Chief Lar to renounce his appointment as the leader of the Iro-Safana-Oyedokun faction of the ruling party more than a month after the faction opened a rival office in Abuja.
While many powerful friends of the president were reportedly aware of Chief Lar's illness, they were, however, angered by the reported plans by the elder statesman to back the Oyedokun faction once he was out of his sick bed.
Reports of the imminent declaration of Chief Lar for the Oyedokun faction was said to have reached the Ahmadu Ali-led executive of the PDP, particularly with respect to the alleged planned press attacks on the Ali leadership and a justification of the legality of Oyedokun's faction.
Further investigations showed that the elder statesman had also turned down many emissaries sent to him over the PDP crisis, a development said to have hardened opinions against him within the president's caucus.
Dr. Ali had recently threatened to order the arrest of the factional leaders of the party, accusing them of impersonating the authentic leaders of the party.
Nigerian Tribune was told that the hawks within the party and the administration were canvassing for punitive actions against Chief Lar whose wife is an ambassador.
Many within the presidential caucus were reported to have argued that since Chief Lar had refused to toe the presidential line, his wife should be relieved of her first class ambassadorial posting.
Nigerian Tribune learnt that a reshuffle of ambassadorial postings might soon be announced by the new Foreign Affairs minister, Dr. (Mrs) Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, during which Chief Lar's wife may be dropped.
Already, it was learnt that the names of many senior diplomats and serving ambassadors have been compiled both for sack and reposting in line with the reform programme of the administration.
It could not be confirmed as at press time whether the new minister who resumed work at the ministry late last week had included the name of Professor Mary Lar in the compiled list.
Reports from the State House, however, indicated that President Olusegun Obasanjo was resisting pressure to relieve Professor (Mrs) Lar of her appointment, reportedly citing her professional competence and high performance rating since she was appointed.
When the Nigerian Tribune visited the Abuja residence of Chief Lar over the weekend, his aides said the elder statesman could not be reached for comments as he was still on the sick bed.
One of his aides, however, insisted that Chief Lar stood by his earlier statement on the crisis, adding, 'wait for Baba to speak on the issue."
Commenting on the report of imminent reshuffle of ambassadorial postings, the Publicity Secretary of the PDP, Mr. John Odey, said the issue was a governmental matter that the party would not comment on.
According to him, the posting question should be directed to the ministry or the presidency, even as he insisted that the PDP still had trust and respect for Chief Lar, its founding chairman.
'That is a government matter and the question should be directed to the government. But I can tell you that Chief Lar is still with us and he is a leader we respect so much," he said.
Odey said Chief Lar was still a bona fide member of the PDP, adding that 'people are just dropping names as Chief Lar is still with us."