THE meeting of the governors elected under the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) platform called to resolve its raging leadership crisis has apparently hit a stalemate, forcing the state chief executives to reconvene Tuesday.
The meeting was summoned to determine whether or not the National Chairman of the party, Prince Uche Secondus, should be removed from office as being demanded by the Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike-led pressure group in the party.
However, the embattled PDP National Chairman unequivocally declared that there was no basis for calls on him to resign.
After several hours of deliberation during which Secondus was later invited, ostensibly to state his case, the meeting was adjourned till Tuesday unable to take a definite stand.
Chairman of the PDP Governors Forum (PDP-GF) and Governor of Sokoto State, Aminu Tambuwal, told waiting for reporters that the meeting deliberated on current issues concerning the party but would reconvene Tuesday. He assured that the governors are working to ensure that all disagreements are resolved.
The Sokoto governor said: “We discussed extensively on matters of the moment concerning our party and we have collectively resolved to continue to work together in unity. “This meeting will continue tomorrow (Tuesday) with other stakeholders.
“Very soon, Nigerians and indeed, all of you will hear our resolution but, we are working towards resolving all issues, as a family. By the grace of God, we are going to achieve that.”
At the meeting were Governors Oluseyi Makinde (Oyo), Nyesom Wike (Rivers), Ifeanyi Okowa (Delta), Godwin Obaseki (Edo), Samuel Ortom (Benue), Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi (Enugu), and Okezie Ikpeazu (Abia). Others were Ahmadu Fintiri (Adamawa), Bala Mohammed (Bauchi), Udom Emmanuel (Akwa Ibom), and Douye Diri (Bayelsa). While the governors’ meeting was ongoing, nine of the 18-member PDP National Working Committee (NWC) met over the crisis and six of them voted for Secondus to leave office on the grounds of allegedly mismanaging the PDP.
An unsigned statement, which emerged after the meeting pointed out that those who wanted Secondus to quit believed that he is “highly incompetent, factionalised the party and has lost the confidence of members of the party.”
The statement explained: “Sequel to the meeting held on the 3rd of August 2021 at legacy house where members of the National working committee (NWC) sat and decided that a meeting of the National working committee (NWC) should be held on the 8th of August 2021 at Hilton to further deliberate on the matter bedevilling the party, the meeting held and extensively deliberated, 9 members of the National working committee (NWC) agreed that the National Chairman Prince Uche Secondus has grossly mismanaged the party, highly incompetent, factionalised the party and has lost the confidence of members of the party.
“The matter of his resignation was put to vote, 6 members voted that he should resign and 3 members abstained from voting, therefore the meeting resolved to forward the resolution taken on the 8th day of August to the governors forum, the BOT, the national assembly caucus of both house of reps and the senate.
“We call on all members of the party to remain calm as the party leadership is working tirelessly to resolve the leadership crisis.”
Those who attended the NWC according to the statement are Senator Suleiman Nazif, deputy national chairman (North), Senator Umar Ibrahim Tsauri (national secretary), Alhaji Mai Adamu Mustapha (national auditor), Abdulahi Maibasira (National Financial Secretary), and Rt. Honourable Sunday Udeh-Okoye (National Youth Leader). Others present were Ambassador Taofiq Arapaja (national vice-chairman (South West), Chief Dr Ali Odefa (National Vice Chairman (South East), Chief Dan Osi Orbih (national vice chairman (South South) and Chief Theophilus Dakas, national vice-chairman (North Central). The statement claimed that those who voted in favour of ousting Secondus are Senator Nazif, Mustapher, Udeh-Okoye, Arapaja, Orbih and Odefa, while three members abstained.
Youths storm PDP national secretariat, demand Secondus’ resignation Meanwhile, a group of youths stormed the national secretariat of the party in Abuja to demand the resignation of the party chairman.
The youths under the aegis of ‘Save PDP Group,’ carried placards of different inscriptions some of which read: “PDP is bigger than Secondus,” “Resign Now Mr Chairman,” “Secondus must go,” “Who are you working for to destroy PDP?”
I won’t resign —Secondus
The embattled national chairman was however adamant Monday, telling those mounting pressure on him to resign from office that he had no intention of doing so. According to a statement by his spokesman, Ike Abonyi, which disclosed this, he has not seen anything on ground to get him to resign from office.
The statement added that Secondus was of the view that “nothing so far warrants his resignation from the party position and those tiny minority calling for his resignation should come clean and tell party members across the country his offence why he should resign.”
The statement said Secondus would remain focused and committed to the ideals of the party “which he swore to protect and defend upon his election to lead this great party 44 months ago.”
He can’t be stampeded out of office —Dickson
Former Bayelsa governor and Senator representing Bayelsa West in the National Assembly, Seriake Dickson, has called on Secondus not to be bothered about the orchestrated plot for his removal. Dickson made the declaration, on Monday, in a statement he personally signed and made available to newsmen in Abuja.
Three members of the PDP National Working Committee (NWC) and three vice-chairmen of the party had, in a purported meeting, passed a vote of no confidence in Secondus, but Dickson faulted the vote of no confidence passed in Secondus. The former governor maintained that six out of the 19-member NWC could not have spoken for the majority.
He said: “By the way, the NWC has 19 members and only 6 of them signed the statement leaving out the majority of 13 who were not at the meeting and the chairman who was not aware, who did not attend, who did not authorize and who did not preside over the said meeting and therefore it is not only a nullity but an act of gross misconduct. “
Dickson also noted that the minority leader of the Representatives is Honorable Ndidi Elumelu, not Honourable Kingsley Chinda. While dismissing the narrative against the PDP leadership under Secondus as “media frenzy, Dickson noted that by virtue of the PDP Constitution, the national Chairman could only resign voluntarily, not stampeded out of office.
Fresh crisis hits Reps’ PDP caucus as Minority Leader disowns call for Secondus’ resignation
The lingering crisis within the opposition party deepened as the Minority Leader, Honourable Ndidi Elumelu disowned the call for the immediate resignation of Secondus by Honourable Kingsley Chinda-led group.
Elumelu’s position was contained in a statement titled: ‘PDP Reps haven’t met over current leadership challenges in the party’ obtained by Nigerian Tribune. PDP caucus via a communiqué co-signed by its leader and his deputy, Kingsley Chinda and Chukwuma Onyema, tasked Secondus to consider making the necessary personal sacrifice worthy of a leader in the party’s current and future interest.
But Elumelu said: “The attention of the Minority Caucus, particularly members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the House of Representatives, have been drawn to news reports purporting to be the intervention and outcome of an online meeting of the PDP caucus in the House regarding the current leadership challenge within the party.
“If such a meeting held, it was without the knowledge of the leadership of the Minority Caucus, and therefore in breach of established procedure.”
Elumelu, who for the first time formally identified himself as the Minority Leader and Leader of PDP in the House, assured that efforts were ongoing to find a lasting solution to the crisis.
“Meanwhile, we are working in concert with organs of the party to ensure sustainable resolution of the current challenges that will be in the overall interest of the party and Nigerians.
“We appeal to all party faithful, particularly PDP members in the House of Representatives, to exercise caution and patience as the party addresses the present leadership challenges,” Elumelu urged.
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