The Chairman of the PDP National Working Committee, Uche Secondus who was accused of inept leadership has fought back yesterday, barely 24 hours after seven members of the National Working Committee (NWC) resigned.
All efforts to reconcile warring leaders of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has probably collapsed.
Secondus accused an unnamed leader as the mastermind of the revolt against him.
According to him, the “desperado”, is deploying a large “quantum of public funds” to generate rebellion against him with the intention of “hijacking the structure of the party for his disproportionately large ambition”.
He said the “strong” party chieftain is scheming to install a caretaker committee that will be doing his biding.
Senator Seriake Dickson, a former Bayelsa State governor visited the PDP national chairman yesterday and condemned any move to foist a caretaker committee on the party.
Some prominent leaders of the party also yesterday gave their backing to Secondus amid indication that four other national officers were planning to quit their offices.
Those speculated to be contemplating resignation are: Deputy national chairman Sulaiman Nazif, National Secretary Uman Tsauri, National Auditor Mai Adamu Mustapha and Financial Secretary Mai Basira.
It was learnt that a former National Caretaker Chairman, ex-Governor Ahmed Makarfi, Bauchi State Governor Bala Mohammed, ex-Jigawa State Governor Sule Lamido, ex-Niger State Governor, Babangida Aliyu and seven governors are pulling the strings for Secondus.
A statement by Secondus’ Media Adviser, Ike Abonyi, said: “The media office of the National Chairman is privy to an intelligence that the strong party chieftain bent on hijacking the party structure for destruction. He is still on the loose with the main agenda of denting the image of Prince Uche Secondus the National Chairman.
“Answers to the above posers will help members of the public to decipher the recent disquiet in the PDP, and why a few months to National Convention of the party, somebody is routing for a Caretaker Committee to run the affairs of the party.
“Reports reaching this office shows clearly that this character is deploying all devious means to try and diminish the person and character of the National Chairman with a view to having his way of ultimately hijacking the structure for his disproportionately large ambition.
“We therefore, wish to alert the general public, particularly media houses and party stakeholders to look out for strange deployment of luring gifts from this destructive ‘Father Christmas’ all aimed at having a grip on the soul of our party by having a caretaker Committee.
“What continues to shock many party observers is the real reason behind the desperation of this man to get at the National Chairman and the quantum of public funds being expended to achieve this illicit goal few months to the National Convention.
“Few months to National Convention, anybody who meant well for this party and who is a true democrat, should respect the constitution of the party and approach issues dispassionately.
“Prince Secondus, through the media office however wishes to assure all critical stakeholders of our great party that every reasonable step is being taken to ensure that the image and status of the party is not injured by all these needless noise and schemings by desperadoes”
Atiku dissociates self
Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar dissociated himself from plots to sack Secondus.
His Media Adviser Paul Ibe said: “It is a beer parlour talk, it is also mischief. Why will a former vice president be behind the plot to sack PDP National Chairman, Prince Uche Secondus?
“What will be his interest? Someone who has commenced the process of having conversations with stakeholders of the party on reconciliation. A man who has encouraged processes aimed at ensuring peace and stability in the party”.
Clarifying Atiku’s visit to Wike in Port Harcourt, Ibe said: “The trip he made to Port Harcourt, he made a similar one to Delta. And he has more in the offing. Why will he promote peace and stability in the party and be behind moves to sack Secondus? It’s ridiculous for anyone to talk about this.
“Atiku understands the constitution of the PDP and what the party says about tenure for party leadership.
“So, he cannot be working against something that he understands. That is not how democrats behave, those are anti-democratic behaviour and that is not who he is. Whoever is saying this, should know it’s beer parlour talk and unnecessary mischief”.
Meeting with aggrieved officials
At the party secretariat in Abuja, the chairman held a meeting with the rebellious five national officers who resigned on Tuesday.
Secondus and his team begged the aggrieved officers to sheathe their swords in the interest of the unity and stability of the party.
The officers, who were impressed by the conviviality at the one-hour meeting, told Secondus and the NWC that they would hold a separate meeting and give a feedback.
“The NWC members also met on Tuesday night where they pledged their loyalty to Secondus,” a source said.
My position, by Secondus
Senator Dickson, who bared his mind in a statement in Abuja on the crisis in the party, advised PDP governors to close ranks and stop the unnecessary battles amongst themselves.
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The statement said: “We have observed for some time the growing tension, recriminations and outright attack on the National Chairman and members of the National Working Committee by some leaders of the party.
“One has refrained from making statements because we believe that the party has internal mechanisms and levels of leadership that will handle it and I was in fact aware that BOT members, governors and other elders, reconciliation committee, collectively and individually, have been making efforts to resolve some of these disputes and challenges affecting the stability of the party.
“As we are all aware, some officers of our party, resigned yesterday (Tuesday) and we should thank them for their services but if their resignation is aimed at causing crisis in the party then we should all condemn it and those behind it.
“By the party’s constitution the appropriate authority, the NWC is empowered to make replacements. I therefore call on the National Chairman and other members of the NWC in accordance with the constitution of the party to immediately make appropriate consultations from the states and zones from which these officers have resigned and forthwith, make those replacements subject to ratification by the NEC.
“An emergency NEC meeting should be convened which should take appropriate decisions to stabilize the party. And if there is any member of the working committee who wants to resign, such a person should consider the overall interest of the party and have a rethink.
“ If however, any NWC members goes ahead to resign, the resignation should be accepted and consultations be made by the Chairman and NWC to fill those positions as temporary vacancies subject to ratification.
“The National Chairman and NWC members should utilize their powers under the constitution to discipline erring members involved in the nefarious plot to destroy the party. PDP is bigger than any individual and should no longer tolerate people with inordinate ambitions to destroy the party which belongs to all Nigerians. People with ambition must know that unless the party is stabilized and strengthened, their ambition will be of no consequence even if they pocket it.
“If the PDP shrinks from a party for all to a party for a few, it would lose its selling point and many members and leaders will have no option than to review their membership.
“We are not a ruling party at the centre. We don’t have the time, resources and mechanisms to resolve problems that will arise from a caretaker committee which will throw up more problems before the party convention and primaries at the centre and across the states.
“I caution all those behind this crisis not to leave any opening to the APC to exploit with their control of the resources and machinery of government.
“We should all learn from the challenge the APC has found itself with the appointment of a caretaker committee which is still unfolding. With only four months to the end of the tenure of the current working committee, it does not make sense to either push for and force a resignation, or to force the appointment of a caretaker committee on a party with officers who have a constitutionally guaranteed tenure.”
Party activates conflict resolution mechanism
Spokesman Kola Ologbondiyan, in a statement, said the party had activated its conflict resolution mechanism for aggrieved members to table their grievances
He said: “The National Working Committee (NWC) of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) rose from a crucial meeting on Tuesday evening where it reviewed the state of the party, with a view to creating an atmosphere that will continue to engender stability within the party.
“The NWC assures that it has already activated the internal conflict resolution mechanism of the party to ensure amicable resolution of all issues.
“The NWC further assures all members of the party that it is taking urgent steps to ensure decisions that will strengthen our great party for the task ahead, particularly at this time Nigerians are looking up to the PDP for direction and solutions.
“Against this backdrop, the NWC urges all members to remain calm while assuring that the PDP remains stable as we work with majority of Nigerians to end the inept administration of the All Progressives Congress (APC), come 2023”.
